IMD: Monsoon deficit narrows to 11% but below-normal rains expected
India's monsoon rains are still a bit behind average, but things are looking up; the deficit has narrowed to 11% as of August 9.
The IMD says more rain is likely in the coming week, especially in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Kerala, and along the southern coast.
Still, it expects less rain than usual for the rest of August and September.
Kharif sowing nearly 88% of usual
Kharif crop sowing has picked up and now covers nearly 88% of the usual area, better than last week but still slightly below last year.
Rice planting is down most (by 4.4%), while pulses and coarse cereals have smaller drops.
Reservoirs have filled up more this week (now at 53% capacity), though some regions have way more water than others.
With planting mostly done, attention is shifting to how much crops will actually yield.