It has warned that the country is likely to witness below-normal rainfall in June with the slow progress of the monsoon. The development could be a cause of concern for India's agricultural sector, which may get deprived of the normal impetus imparted by summer rains that generally commence the planting of crops such as rice, cotton, soybeans, and sugarcane.
The normals for the onset and withdrawal of the monsoons are June 1 in the southern part of the country spreading over the whole nation by July 8. IMD now feels that the country as a whole is likely to receive rainfall below 92 percent of the long period average. This comes against the earlier expectation of rainfall being normal during June.
India has had 20% less rainfall than usual since 1 June, according to data by the India Meteorological Department. Deficits have occurred in most other regions other than a few southern states, with heat waves reported in some northwestern states.
The monsoon is the lifeline of India's economy and provides almost 70% of the rainfall needed by farming, replenishment of reservoirs, and aquifer recharge. More or less half of India's farmland—an disproportionate share of it growing rice, wheat, and sugarcane—depends entirely on the monsoon rains because of a lack of irrigation. These rains last till September, carrying on the agricultural cycle in the country.
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