More rains likely, Sept. to be wettest
Asking people not to lose heart at the onset of a weak monsoon, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday said the country may receive excess rainfall this year and September could be the wettest month of the season.
After covering half the nation, the monsoon had entered a weak phase on June 18. However, there are signs of a revival in parts of Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand too, the Met said.
In an update to its April forecast, which had said the country would experience a normal monsoon with 98 per cent rain, the IMD revised its predictions and pegged the quantum of rain for the country for June-September at 102 per cent of the long period average (LPA). The LPA is the average rainfall received across the country over a 50-year period. The LPA has been calculated at 89 cm. In April, the IMD had said the country would receive 98 per cent of the LPA.
“The monsoon is reviving and we expect good rains (98 per cent) in July and better rains in August (101 per cent),” IMD director-general Ajit Tyagi told reporters in the national capital.
Good rainfall is significant for agriculture as this is the season when the kharif crop is sown. Last year’s severe drought in some parts and a delayed monsoon in other parts had hit agriculture. With the positive Met report, farmers have started sowing the kharif crop.
The agriculture ministry said paddy has been sown in 24.12 lakh hectares as of today as compared to 10.97 lakh hectares a week ago. Oilseeds have been sown in 11.46 lakh hectares.
The country’s rice output declined to 89.31 million tonnes last year from the previous year’s record 99.18 million tonnes due to a severe drought.
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