Cultivators in India's food-bowl states are worried about an El Niño event that could reduce rainfall and impact summer planting.
Scientists predict the weather phenomenon will bring dry summers in South Asia and flooding in South America.
El Niño triggered 10 of at least a dozen drought years in India since 1950, affecting the country's agriculture sector and economy.
India's agriculture sector accounts for 15% of GDP and employs close to half the population.
The impacts of El Niño are not uniform across crops and regions, but can still crimp farm incomes and drag growth.
The India Meteorological Department expects a positive Indian Ocean Dipole this summer, which could offset the El Niño's effects.
