Poor rainfall and scanty water levels in reservoirs at major growing regions are likely to hit production of rabi crops this year. The country’s crucial southwest monsoon season ended with a deficit of 9%, missing the India Meteorological Department’s prediction by a huge margin. The country received 804.0 mm rainfall during the Jun-Sep monsoon season, against the normal weighted average of 887.5 mm. Poor rains lead to inadequate soil moisture, which is a must for sowing of rabi crops. Reservoir levels are also important for the irrigation-dependent rabi season that starts October. While the reservoir storage in most states is “healthy”, there is a shortage in Gujarat, West Bengal and Maharashtra due to poor rains. Deficient reservoirs raise some concern for the rabi crop because these three states together contribute 53% of the rabi production of foodgrains and oilseeds. However, the overall crop output may be higher as “kharif production estimates are healthy.