New Delhi: India's monsoon rains were 20 per cent below average in the week ending on Wednesday, as rainfall was scanty over the central, western and southern parts of the country, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said, raising concerns over the output of summer-sown crops.
Monsoon rains are crucial for farm output and economic growth, as about 55 per cent of India's arable land is rain-fed, and agriculture forms about 15 per cent of a $2.5 trillion economy that is the third biggest in Asia.
Soybean- and cotton-growing central regions received 68 per cent less rainfall in the week, while the rubber- and tea-growing southern state of Kerala received 71 per cent lower rainfall, data from the weather office showed.
Overall, India has received rains that were 16 per cent less than average since the monsoon season began on June 1.
Monsoon has picked up steam in July but prospects of El Nino effects are still looming, according to forecaster Skymet Weather.
"Although now on decline, weather models are still indicating towards 50 per cent chances of El Nino during July. In fact, the probability would continue to be around 40 per cent throughout the leftover Monsoon months," said a Skymet Weather report.
Skymet Weather's President, Meteorology and Climate Change, G.P. Sharma said that guards should not be lowered on El Nino.
El Nino is known to suppress monsoon in India and hits periodically. El Nino years are associated with dry spells. It relates to warming up of surface water in equatorial Pacific Ocean and the reverse of it is known as El Nina which brings more rain.
Meanwhile, it has been pouring in parts of Delhi with Palam recording season's highest rainfall of 58mm in last 21 hours and Safdarjung recording 10 mm rains.
(With inputs from Reuters and IANS.)
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