India Monsoon Shortfall Narrows to 3%, Weather Bureau Says

By Thomas Kutty Abraham

Aug. 2 (Bloomberg) -- The shortfall in India’s monsoon, the main source of irrigation for the nation’s 235 million farmers, narrowed to 3 percent as of yesterday, the weather office said.

The nation received 451.8 millimeters of rain in the June 1-Aug. 1 period, compared with the 50-year average of 465.4 millimeters, the India Meteorological Department said on its website. The monsoon was 16 percent below normal in June.

Rainfall is 1 percent above average in northwest India, including Uttar Pradesh, and normal in central states including Madhya Pradesh, the agency said. Madhya Pradesh is India’s biggest soybean growing province, while Uttar Pradesh is the nation’s biggest sugar cane grower.

Rainfall is 16 percent above average in south Indian states, including the main coffee and rubber growing states, and 21 percent below normal in the northeastern states, which mainly grows rice and tea, the agency said.

(bloomberg.com)