MC Daily Monsoon Tracker: Nearly 40% of India suffer over 10% deficit rainfall

Monsoon deficit persists for 14 of 36 states

Despite the rainfall situation remaining in the surplus zone for nearly a month now, 40 percent of the country, or 14 out of 36 states and Union Territories, continue to suffer 10 percent deficit rain, according to data released by the India Meteorological Department.

India’s rainfall surplus lowered fell below 3.38 percent as of August 19, compared with 3.83 percent the previous day.

Manipur, Punjab and Chandigarh continued to face over 30 percent deficit, while Jammu and Kashmir, Nagaland, Mizoram, Bihar and Himachal faced 20-30 percent deficit. Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Odisha and Kerala saw 10-30 percent deficit.

India’s reservoir capacity stayed comfortably above normal, as rainfall stayed in the positive territory compared to the long-period average, according to data released by Central Water Commission.

The country’s 150 reservoirs had 14 percent storage capacity above normal as the southern region was 31 percent over its storage levels.

Northern and eastern regions which continue to reel under deficient rainfall conditions had lower storage levels.

In the North, reservoir levels were nearly a third below the normal capacity, whereas in the East, three out of seven states had deficient reservoir capacity.

In Punjab, storage was 69 percent below normal levels, while Bihar had 32 percent lower capacity in its reservoirs.

Kharif sowing was just 1.4 percent higher at 98 million hectares, despite rainfall remaining in surplus for over three weeks, according to data released on August 13.

Paddy sowing was up 4.3 percent at 33.2 million hectares, whereas pulses sowing was 6.7 percent higher. On the other hand, jute and cotton sowing was down around 9 percent as of August 12.

“On the sowing front, kharif progress is satisfactory for all crops except cotton and jute which is lower. In case of sugarcane, it is on a par with last year. As there are still over two weeks to go, there is scope for catch-up,” said Sonal Badhan, economist at Bank of Baroda.

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.