Thai rice, Indian sugarcane show signs of early El Nino impact

AgricultureWorries mount of global food shock from predicted record-breaking climate eventVillagers collect free clean water distributed by the regional disaster agency in July in a drought-hit area of Indonesia. © ReutersSAKURAKO YOSHIOKA and MANA KITAZAWAJuly 31, 2026 03:51 JSTTOKYO -- As markets brace for an El Nino phenomenon that some predict could be the strongest on record, countries near the equator already see an impact on their crops, raising concerns about a potential food shock.