August records monsoon deficiency of 22%

NEW DELHI: Monsoon has been deficient by 11 per cent so far with August recording 22 per cent less than normal rainfall, raising the prospect of lower foodgrains production for the Kharif season than last year if the situation does not improve in September.

"This month, the deficiency was 22 per cent," Laxman Singh Rathore, Director General of the India Meteorological Department, said.

June witnessed excess precipitation of 16 per cent, while there was a monsoon deficit of 16 per cent in July.

IMD had predicted around 16 per cent deficient rainfall during August and September.

Amid bleak monsoon prediction for the next month too, Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI), the government's premier agri-research body, said the initial Kharif production may fall below last year's level of 126.31 million tonnes if crucial September rains are not well distributed.

Overall, the country has recorded a deficit of 11 per cent until now with the southern peninsula witnessing the highest deficiency of 21 per cent and 10 per cent in central India.

Some parts of the country, including the Marathwada and central regionS of Maharashtra have recorded minus 50 and minus 40 per cent rains, while north interior Karnataka had monsoon deficiency of 43 per cent. These regions are experiencing drought-like conditions, sources said.

The IMD said 51 per cent of the country has so far received normal rainfall, while 36 per cent experienced deficient monsoon and 13 per cent excess precipitation.