Monsoon rains in the last one week have been more than 24% of the benchmark average, reducing overall deficit across the country to 24%, India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday, raising hopes that there would be no major adverse impact of a monsoon deficit on the kharif crop.
Heavy rainfall was witnessed in the central Indian regions of Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra in the last week. ?The Southwest monsoon has been vigorous over Karnataka, Gujarat and active over west Madhya Pradesh, central Maharashtra and Vidarbha regions,? the Met said.
Till Thursday, the overall deficiency in the monsoon rains has been reduced to 24% from 34% of the long period average (LPA).
An agriculture ministry official told FE that the recent rainfall activities is expected to give boost to cultivation of soyabean, groundnut and cotton in the next few weeks.
The agriculture ministry will provide latest kharif sowing information on Friday. Till last week, the kharif or summer planting of crops such as rice, pulses, oilseeds, cotton had been lower by 45% in compared to previous year.
Rain deficits regions at present are ? south peninsular (24%), north west India (36%), central India (20%) and east and north east (22%) of LPA.