Monsoon to be slightly above normal this year, says IMD

Monsoon rainfall this year will be slightly above normal across the country at 101% of the long-performing average (LPA), the weather office said on Tuesday, spelling a major boost to the agricultural sector.

The probability of a normal or above-normal monsoon is 74%, with well-distributed rainfall across core agricultural areas, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

This will cheer policymakers, farmers and manufacturers as good monsoon rainfall boosts demand for consumer goods, gold, cars, motorcycles, tractors, farm equipment and inputs such as pesticides, fertilisers and seeds.

Concerns over unequal distribution of rain, which had worried farmers even as cumulative rainfall for the country has been excessive in India for the past two years, were also laid to rest by the weather bureau’s forecast.

“Monsoon seasonal rainfall is likely to be well-distributed spatially. Most parts of the country, especially the monsoon core zone, which consists of most of the rainfed agriculture regions in the country, will receive normal to above-normal rainfall,” said M Mohapatra, director general, India Meteorological Department.

The monsoon core zone consists of regions spanning Gujarat and Rajasthan in the west to Odisha and West Bengal in the east. Huge parts of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and central Maharashtra also fall under this zone.