MC Daily Monsoon Tracker: Excess downpour in central, south keeps India rainfall surplus

Rainfall situation improves further

India continued to receive higher rainfall on August 6, with the surplus rising further to 6.62 percent over normal, according to the India Meteorological Department.

The IMD has predicted above normal rainfall for August and September.

Rainfall has been in surplus for a fortnight, with Central and South India experiencing higher rainfall than the North West and the East.

The northwest parts of the country are grappling with deficit rainfall. In Chandigarh, deficit rose to 54 percent, while Punjab, a major cereals producer, witnessed 42 percent less rain, as per the IMD data. Nine states continue to face deficient rainfall conditions.

A normal is calculated using a long-period average of 30 years for a specific region.

Sowing levels slightly improved at 2.9 percent higher from 2023 as on August 2, compared with 2.3 percent a week before, as rainfall situation improved.

The pickup in sowing can be attributed to a rise in paddy acreage to 5.3 percent as of August 2. Pulses area under cultivation was 10.9 percent higher compared with the previous week.

Sowing levels remain subdued compared to normal, as rainfall distribution has been uneven.

Better monsoon has improved reservoir levels significantly. The country’s 150 reservoirs registered a 7 percent higher than normal storage as of August 1 compared with a 4 percent deficit the previous week.

Punjab’s reservoirs had 80 percent storage below normal.

Northern and eastern regions have been worst affected, as rainfall has been deficient in these parts. Northern states had a storage deficit of 38 percent, while eastern regions had a 12 percent deficit, with Bihar having 67 percent storage deficit.

The government is hoping for a revival of its agricultural sector, which recorded 1.4 percent growth in FY24 compared to 4.7 percent in the previous year, also lower than the 3.7 percent long-term average.