Monsoon covers India 17 days before schedule
Buoyancy in rains to give sowing of kharif crops a fillip
The southwest monsoon covered the entire country on Friday, almost 17 days ahead of schedule, said the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The revival in monsoon has also bridged the deficit of June showers from almost 10 per cent last week to less than 6 per cent.
After a break, the southwest monsoon has picked up pace, covering the entire country on Friday, almost 17 days ahead of schedule, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The buoyancy in rains should aid sowing of kharif crops.
Till June 29, the monsoon was almost 21.60 per cent less than last year, mainly because of the break in showers in most parts of central, north and east India from June 13 till June 27.
However, sowing of pulses, oilseeds and cotton was hit as the monsoon didn’t reach central and north India on time.
Data showed that till June 29, oilseeds sowing has been around 44.03 per cent down compared to the same period last year while pulses has been sown in around 41.08 per cent less area compared to the same period last year.
Coarse cereals planting has also been around 30 per cent less than till June 29 as compared to the same period last year.
But with monsoon gaining momentum, most experts said sowing will now pick up and cover the deficit in the coming weeks mainly in central, north and west India where it has been raining incessantly in the last few days.
The revival of monsoon has also bridged the deficit in June showers from almost 10 per cent last week to less than 6 per cent now.
Meanwhile, the monsoon reached Sriganganagar (west Rajasthan), its last outpost in the country. Its normal date to reach Sriganganagar was July
15. “The monsoon has touched the entire country. The monsoon covers the country by July 1 but west Rajasthan gets rain later,” additional director general Mritunjay Mohapatra said.
But this year, due to good easterly rains, it covered to the entire country early, Mohapatra added.
The four-month monsoon season normally begins from June 1 and ends on September
30. This year, monsoon touched Kerala on May 29, three days ahead of schedule. It battered the western coast in the first half of June.
The southwest monsoon gives 70 per cent rain to the country. It comes as a boost for agriculture, which still remains a major contributor to the GDP.