Oct 5 – Southwest monsoon rains in India have reached a four-year high this season, recording about 108% of the long-period average (LPA) at 934.8 mm, according to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The LPA for rainfall in India is typically 868.6 mm. In its pre-monsoon forecast, IMD had predicted that the country’s rainfall would be above normal, estimating it at 106% of the LPA.
This above-normal monsoon has significantly benefited the agriculture sector, particularly aiding farmers in sowing more crops for the Kharif season, and setting positive expectations for the upcoming Rabi season. Agriculture, which sustains millions of livelihoods in India, stands to gain as improved rainfall boosts the gross value added (GVA) in the sector. According to a report by the Bank of Baroda, the above-normal rainfall will not only benefit the Kharif crops but also enhance the Rabi sowing prospects.
Though Indian agriculture, especially the Kharif season, has traditionally depended on monsoon rains, the spread of irrigation facilities has reduced this reliance.
This year’s monsoon data shows regional variations, with rainfall in Northwest India, Central India, the South Peninsula, and Northeast India recording 107%, 119%, 114%, and 86% of their respective LPAs. Of the 36 meteorological subdivisions, two received large excess rainfall (9% of India’s area), 10 received excess rainfall (26% of the area), 21 received normal rainfall (54%), and three subdivisions, including Arunachal Pradesh, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh, experienced deficient rainfall, affecting 11% of the total area.
After a slow start in June with only 89% of the LPA, the monsoon picked up in July, August, and September, with rainfall hitting 109%, 115%, and 112% of the LPA, respectively, IMD reported. The monsoon advanced over the south Andaman Sea on May 19, 2024, two days earlier than usual, and set in over Kerala on May 30, 2024, slightly ahead of the normal June 1 date. It covered the entire country by July 2, 2024, six days earlier than its typical coverage date of July 8.
The monsoon withdrawal began on September 23, delayed by six days from the usual September 17 date. As a result of favorable monsoon conditions, Kharif crop sowing surged to 1,108.57 lakh hectares, a 1.9% year-on-year increase from the 1,088.25 lakh hectares recorded last year, according to the agriculture ministry. This exceeds the average cultivated area of 1,096 lakh hectares for the period from 2018-19 to 2022-23.
India’s three cropping seasons—Summer, Kharif, and Rabi—have seen a positive impact, particularly in Kharif, where crops like paddy, pulses, oilseeds, millets, and sugarcane registered year-on-year increases. Paddy farming expanded by 2.5%, prompting the government to ease certain rice export restrictions. These include lifting the minimum export price on basmati rice, permitting non-basmati white rice exports with a minimum price of USD 490 per tonne, and reducing export duties on parboiled rice to 10%.
Meanwhile, within the pulse category, crops like arhar, moong, kulthi, and moth bean have shown strong growth, with India continuing to promote pulse cultivation. The government’s proactive approach in procuring pulses at the Minimum Support Price further supports this trend.
Source: capitalfm
