Monsoon less 7% upto June 11 coutnrywide. deficit in over 20 met sub divisions

NEW DELHI: Cumulative seasonal rainfall countrywide upto June 11 this year has been 7% below the Long Period Average, India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials told farm/food minister Sharad Pawar here today during a priority monsoon briefing on monsoon progress. A worried government which has been tracking the progress of this year’s monsoons _it follows the worst ever drought in over three decades__ has been informed that upto mid June, rainfall has been deficient in over 20 sub divisions countrywide. In April this year, the IMD had forecast normal monsoon rains for the four-month season beginning June 1.

Officials told minister Pawar, who is believed to have postponed plans of a post-surgery visit to the USA in order to be present at home in this crucial period__ that out of 36 meteorological sub-divisions, rainfall was excess in over nine, normal in over seven and deficient or scanty in over 20 sub-divisions, the weather office said. Meteorologists are also not on the same page over progress of monsoons in the key northern regions, with some scientists warning of a "slight delay" in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand. However, at this juncture, it is presumed that there will be no major impact on the kharif crop.

"The monsoon is delayed in few states such as MP, UP, Bihar, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh by five days. The delay is not due to cyclone Phet. It is a natural phenomenon. It will surely advance and the delay will not impact kharif crops," said L S Rathore, Head of IMD's Agromet Division. IMD officials had said that monsoons would progress normally by ,last weekend and that the annual summer rains would hit Mumbai on target this week. Rains arrived in Orissa this week. and today inched further along the sub continent, bringing showers to some parts of Maharashtra, Chhatisgarh and parts of Gangetic W Bengal. Monsoons are tipped to cover southern parts of Gujarat and Chhattisgarh, parts of Orissa and Gangetic West Bengal entire Sikkim and parts of Jharkhand and east Bihar during the next three days.

Last year, almost half of the country faced severe drought, forcing India's foodgrain production down to 218.19 million tonnes compared to a record 234.47 million tonne in the 2008-09. Monsoon rains are considered the lifeline of Indian agriculture and are vital for kharif crops such as paddy, sugarcane, oilseeds and pulses. The failure of the monsoons last year plunged down overall economic growth besides primary sector growth and put both food security and development in jeopardy.