Monsoon bounces back with 45% more rains; cheers up oilseed and coarse grain farmers

NEW DELHI: The monsoon has bounced back vigorously after a weak phase and delivered 45% more rainfall than average in the past few days, cheering farmers as oilseed and coarse grain crops in parts of central and western India were on the verge of wilting. The monsoon has strengthened significantly in southern, central, western and eastern India. The trend is likely to continue in these regions. In northern India, rainfall remains patchy but is expected to pick up.Torrential rain and strong winds have lashed many regions on the west coast, bringing down trees and submerging many parts of the metropolis. The weather office had earlier issued a ‘red alert’ for heavy rainfall in Mumbai. The monsoon has also regained momentum over central India, after the weak phase in July, which stressed crops. It is expected to intensify in the coming week.

“The monsoon is currently strong over central India, owing to a low-pressure area over Madhya Pradesh,” said M Mohapatra, DG of India Meteorological Department (IMD). This phenomenon has rapidly narrowed central India’s rainfall deficit, and will have its effects as far as Gujarat and Rajasthan, he added.Another low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal is helping peninsular India receive good rainfall. However, north India continues to suffer from scanty rainfall, recording a 22% deficit since the monsoon season started on June 1. The first week of August also looks to worsen the problem, as rainfall has been nearly half its normal amount so far.