# El Nino threatens rice, sugar, coffee; India holds strong buffers 2026-08-13T23:09:17+00:00 | Business & Economy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet El Nino’s onset last month threatens farm commodities from rice to cocoa and palm oil, but the impact varies by crop, analysts told The Hindu BusinessLine. Rice faces the clearest risk due to thin global surplus and high dependence on Asia. However, India’s rebuilt buffer stocks, rising from 30.1% of consumption in 2023-24 to an estimated 42.2% by 2026-27, make another round of pre-emptive export restrictions unlikely. Rabobank said cocoa, palm oil, sugar, robusta coffee and Australian grains face renewed weather-related pressure. By contrast, corn has the least direct El Nino exposure because large producers like the US and Brazil are in low-sensitivity zones. The FAO's AMIS warned that weather over the coming weeks will determine final yields, especially for northern hemisphere maize crops in critical growth stages. ## Coverage - thehindubusinessline.com Tags: agriculture, coffee, commodity prices, El Nino, rice, sugar Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/el-nino-threatens-rice-sugar-coffee-india-holds-strong-buffers/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/el-nino-threatens-rice-sugar-coffee-india-holds-strong-buffers/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.