NEW DELHI: Good news is on the horizon for India’s agricultural sector. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) announced on Friday that the life-giving monsoon rains are expected to hit the southern coast on May 26, arriving five days earlier than the usual onset date.
The IMD’s statement indicates that the monsoon is highly likely to set in over Kerala, the traditional entry point for the seasonal rains, with a slight margin of error of four days.
This early arrival is sparking significant optimism among the nation’s farmers. The premature onset spurs hopes for the early planting of crucial summer crops, including rice, corn, soybean, and sugarcane.
The southwest monsoon is an absolutely vital component of India’s nearly $4 trillion economy. It delivers almost 70 percent of the total rainfall needed to sustain farms, replenish groundwater aquifers, and refill critical reservoirs across the country. Typically, the monsoon begins its journey in Kerala and completes its run across the subcontinent by mid-September.
For perspective, the IMD officially defines “normal” or average rainfall as ranging between 96% and 104% of the 50-year average, which stands at 87 cm (35 inches) for the four-month season.
