Rainfall deficiency in half of India worrisome: Skymet's GP Sharma
agriculture sector. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Jharkhand Bihar and Odisha are major growers of Kharif rice, and Maharashtra and Karnataka are among the largest producers of sugarcane, cotton, oilseeds and pulses and maize, cotton, pulses and oilseeds. In June, the country had received 148.6 mm of monsoon rainfall, 10% less than the long period average (LPA) of 165.3 mm.
Rainfall in south peninsular India at 88.6 mm was lowest since 1901. Central, and east & northeast India had received 6% and 18% less-than-normal rains last month. Below normal rains have hit Kharif sowing, with total acreage nearly 1% lower year-on-year at 20.3 million hectare.
As of 30 June, crop sowing was 10% lower in Maharashtra, 12% lower in Karnataka, and around 3% lower in Telangana, as per data from agriculture ministry. After making a delayed onset over Kerala and subdued progress thereafter, the monsoon current rapidly advanced in the past two weeks, bringing down the all-India rainfall deficiency to 8% of long period average on Monday from 47% about a fortnight ago, and the deficiency widened by 1% on Tuesday taking it back to 9%. IMD has forecast that rains in July could be around 100% of LPA.
June accounts for 16-17% of monsoon rainfall, and farmers sow kharif crops after the first spell of rains, while July accounts for 40% rainfall in the four-month season. “It is early to say that these states are witnessing drought-like situation," said Sharma. “There are two categories when we explain drought - agriculture and hydrological.
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