According to Agriculture Minister, Sharad Pawar, the country is not facing a drought situation yet but expressed concern over the ability to maintain a record production level due to a low monsoon this year.

"We have not reached the drought situation yet. This year monsoon is playing hide and seek. It is a challenge for our farmers to maintain the same performance as compared to last two years," he said.

Mr. Pawar as well as the Met Department on Monday has admitted that the Monsoon has not been normal this year across the country. The agriculture minister said that the government will wait until the second week of August to make an announcement and decide upon further actions.

Weatehr experts had said that the El Nino weather phenomenon is not likely to affect the weather patterns in India. The El Nino phenomenon is the warming up of the ocean surface temperatures in the eastern and central Pacific. It causes below average rainfall for the Asia Pacific region and more than average rainfall in America. El Nino results in a lower than average rainfall in Asia and affects the production of food grains.

The meteorological department of the Government of India has shown that no place in the country except for Lakshadweep, has received above than average rainfall. Until June 30, the rain fall in the country was 29 per cent below average.