Vol. 9, Special Issue 12, Part D (2025)

The present study entitled “Relation of El Nino and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) with Rainfall and production of major kharif crops in Western Maharashtra” was undertaken to evaluate the influence of major climatic oscillations on regional rainfall variability and their subsequent effects on agriculture. The analysis of district-wise average annual rainfall during strong El Nino years compared to normal years revealed a consistent decline across all districts of Western Maharashtra. This study analyzes the impacts of El Nino, Positive IOD, and Negative IOD events on major kharif crops rice, soybean, groundnut, and cotton in Western Maharashtra. During El Nino years, all crops experienced significant declines in area, production, and productivity, with the most severe impacts observed in Nandurbar, Solapur, Dhule, Ahilyanagar, Pune and Sangli due to reduced monsoonal rainfall and prolonged dry spells. In contrast, Positive IOD years generally improved rainfall distribution, resulting in expanded rice, soybean, and cotton cultivation in several semi-arid districts, though groundnut area declined in some regions. Cotton production and productivity improved notably in districts like Nandurbar and Sangli. During Negative IOD years, rice, soybean, groundnut and cotton showed mixed responses. Some districts experienced increased sown area, but overall production and productivity declined across most crops, particularly in Ahilyanagar, Nandurbar, Nashik and Dhule due to erratic rainfall and moisture stress. The findings highlight strong crop sensitivity to climate anomalies and emphasize the need for region-specific climate-resilient strategies.