(LiveMint)
The southwest monsoon that brings 70% of India’s rainfall hit the Kerala coast on Tuesday, three days ahead of schedule and in line with predictions by the weather office. “The monsoon has arrived early as expected. The next stage forecast about region-wise (and month-wise) distribution will be announced in next few days or first week of June,” said M. Mohapatra, head of National Weather Forecasting Centre, India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The June to September southwest monsoon which waters over half of India’s crop area lacking assured irrigation kick-starts planting for the kharif crop season. If IMD’s forecast of monsoon rains this year at 97% of the long period or 50-year average is correct, 2018 will mark the third consecutive year of normal rains. If rains are well distributed across regions and over time, it will bode well for production of grains, oilseeds and pulses, which in turn is likely to keep food inflation in check.
