A particularly supercharged monsoon season is bringing an excess of rainfall across many parts of India. For many cotton farmers in the region, this is leading to potential financial disaster.  

What's happening?

As of late August 2025, the monsoon season in India has been more costly than it has been in years. Characterized by intense, erratic, and record-breaking rainfall, several parts of India have seen widespread flooding. This has led to a number of deaths and untold damage across the country. 

According to the Tribune, one of the most impacted areas has been the Hisar-Sirsa-Fatehabad-Bhiwani region, often referred to as the "cotton belt" in India. Thanks to unrelenting downpours and minimal drainage, many cotton crops have fallen victim to waterlogging. This has resulted in a growing number of crop failures.  

The Agriculture Department in India reports that farms in Hisar have seen 40,000 acres of cotton damaged due to flooding. Thousands of acres of cotton in Bhiwani and Sirsa have also been inundated with waterlogging, painting a grim picture for the state of the cotton-growing industry. 

Why is excess waterlogging important for cotton crops?

Ideal growing conditions for cotton typically include warm temperatures. According to EOS Data Analytics, this includes soil temperatures of 65 degrees Fahrenheit or higher and ambient temperatures between 70 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit during the growing season. The crop also needs well-drained and fertile soils. This is best paired with adequate sunlight and consistent but not excessive moisture.

As seen throughout cotton farms in India, too much water can lead to waterlogging, which suffocates roots by replacing oxygen with water. This can cause reduced root and shoot growth and poorer fiber quality. This can result in stunted plants that experience decreased nutrient uptake, ultimately affecting the overall yield. 

For farmers like Vinod Kumar, the extent of damage has been too much for them to keep up. With eight acres of his farm in Sirsa dedicated to growing cotton, Kumar says that it has been a complete loss. 

"I don't know what will happen next," Kumar explained. "I've used up all my savings."

What's being done about more severe monsoon seasons in India?

While India is certainly no stranger to impactful monsoon seasons, the rise of the global temperature is playing a major role in increasing their severity. Increasing atmospheric moisture has been noted to lead to more intense and unpredictable rainfall during monsoon seasons, which can cause an uptick in severe flooding.

Simply put, a warmer atmosphere can hold more water, which then falls as heavy downpours. This can transform previously life-sustaining monsoons into extreme weather events that jeopardize the safety of human populations and the sustainability of valuable crops.

Achieving carbon pollution reduction can be a pivotal response to changing climate conditions around the globe. By reducing our reliance on dirty fuels and shifting to renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, we can limit the rate of the global temperature increase and work toward a cooler future. 

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