Uneven monsoon: Rain deficits hit nine states, south sees surplus

India's rainfall distribution during June and July has been uneven, resulting in significant rain deficits ranging from 20-49% in nine states, including Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Odisha, and Bihar.

Six states, predominantly in the south peninsula, have reported excess rainfall from June 1 to July 20, reported The Times of India.

Jharkhand has faced the highest deficit at 49%, while Tamil Nadu has seen an 83% surplus compared to their normal rainfall levels.


Overall, the country has experienced just over a 1% deficit in cumulative rainfall, with northwest and east & northeast India being the most affected regions.

The central India region has not reported any rainfall deficit, contrasting with the south peninsula, which has recorded 26% more than its normal rainfall so far. Although some good rainfall is expected in the remaining days of the month, the overall situation may not improve significantly.

A possible weak phase of the monsoon is anticipated in early August due to the delay in the formation of La Nina, a climate condition that usually brings good monsoon rainfall to the Indian subcontinent. Rainfall in the deficit zones is expected to improve with the formation of La Nina later in the month or early September.

Despite the uneven rainfall, the kharif (summer sown) crop sowing operations remain largely unaffected. The monsoon core zone areas, which rely on seasonal rains for farming, have received normal rainfall this month, enhancing water storage in the major 150 reservoirs in many states. The Central Water Commission's data indicates that the overall live storage in these reservoirs has improved from 20% of total capacity on June 27 to 29% on July 18.

The acreage for kharif crops, including paddy, pulses, and oilseeds, has shown an increase compared to the corresponding period last year. Although there was an 11% rainfall deficit in June, which delayed sowing operations, farmers managed to increase the sown area using groundwater and other irrigation facilities. This is in contrast to last year when there was a slightly lower deficit of 9%.

Surprisingly, the focus on millets, also known as nutri-cereals, has not resulted in increased acreage. As of now, millets have seen an 8% decline in sown area compared to the same period last year, despite government focus during the 'International Year of Millet' last year. Over 60% of kharif sowing operations are complete in the country.

The area under pulses and oilseeds has seen substantial increases. As of Friday, pulses have reported over 15 lakh hectares more sown area (a 21% increase), and oilseeds have seen a 12 lakh hectare increase (an 8% rise) compared to the previous year.

"A better prospect of procurement of paddy, pulses, and oilseeds encouraged farmers to opt for these crops instead of millets whose procurement could not match the popular crops."

Data released by the Agriculture Ministry on Friday show that the total area under kharif crop coverage has risen to 704 lakh hectares by July 19, compared to 680 lakh hectares in the same period last year.

With inputs from ToI