Vijayawada, March 13, 2026: Farmers in Andhra Pradesh face mounting pressures from geopolitical unrest in West Asia and emerging El Nino conditions.
Disruptions in key shipping routes, including the Strait of Hormuz, have raised freight and insurance costs, curbing exports of bananas, rice, eggs, coconuts, and other produce to Gulf markets.
This has driven down local prices sharply G-9 bananas dropped from ₹25 to ₹18 per kg, Basmati rice by up to ₹500 per quintal, and eggs by 22% as export-bound supplies flood domestic markets.
Compounding the issue, El Nino is forecast to bring 10-12% below-normal rainfall and extended dry periods from March to August, with above-average temperatures in summer months.
