Monsoon rains feeding crops in India will pick up momentum by mid-June

NEW DELHI, June 8 (Reuters) – Monsoon rains in India are expected to intensify by mid-June, the head of India’s state-run Meteorological Department (IMD) told Reuters on Wednesday, boosting the seeding of crucial crops such as rice, corn, cotton, soybeans, sugar cane and peanuts.

“According to our long-term forecast, rainfall activity is expected to increase by June 15,” Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, chief executive of IMD, told Reuters in an interview.

“This period of rainfall will likely cover central India and the northern plains of the country.”

The monsoon – which accounts for almost 70% of India’s annual rainfall and is the lifeblood of its $2.7 trillion agriculture-dependent economy – has arrived on the coast of the southern state of Kerala on May 29, two days ahead of usual time. Read more

But since June 1, the start of the four-month monsoon season, the rains have been 42% below average. The IMD defines average or normal rainfall as between 96% and 104% of a 50-year average of 87 cm (35 inches) for the entire rainfall pattern.

Nevertheless, some monsoon-covered areas, especially in southern, eastern and northeastern states of India, received normal to excessive rains, Mohapatra said.

“Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Assam, southern West Bengal, Meghalaya, Sikkim and parts of Karnataka received excessive rainfall,” he said.

At this stage, the progress of the monsoon, particularly over central and northwest India, is crucial for the planting of an array of key crops.

The monsoon will play a big role in determining this year’s rice harvest, and abundant rains will help New Delhi maintain its preeminent position in the global rice trade.

India depends on monsoon rains to water nearly half of its agricultural land, which lacks irrigation. Agriculture contributes about 15% to India’s $2.7 trillion economy while supporting more than half of the population of 1.3 billion.

Reporting by Mayank Bhardwaj and Rajendra Jadhav; Editing by Jan Harvey

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