India’s monsoon rains seen average in 2019: IMD

• India is likely to receive average monsoon rains in 2019, the India Meteorological Department said on 15 Apr 19, raising expectations of higher farm and economic growth in Asia’s third-biggest economy, where half of the farmland lacks irrigation.
• Monsoon rains are expected to be 96% of a long-term average, M. Rajeevan, secretary at the Ministry of Earth Sciences, told a news conference.
• The IMD defines average, or normal, rainfall as between 96% and 104% of a 50-year average of 89 centimetres for the entire four-month season beginning June.
• The monsoon is critical to India’s agriculture as it accounts for more than 70% of the country’s annual rainfall and fills reservoirs that help irrigate crops. It shapes the livelihood of millions and influences food prices.
• Deficient showers in the country, the world’s second-biggest producer of rice, wheat and cotton, often leads to lower crop output and higher imports of commodities like edible oils.
• The IMD will issue second stage forecast in the first week of Jun 19.

External Link: https://in.reuters.com/article/india-monsoon/indias-monsoon-rains-seen-average-in-2019-imd-idINKCN1RR0WA

External Link: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-15/india-seen-getting-near-normal-monsoon-as-el-nino-risk-looms

External Link: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/met-department-forecasts-near-normal-monsoon/articleshow/68888198.cms