India rainfall deficit halves to 19.3% as sowing area falls
Monsoon rains picked up in early July, shrinking India's rainfall deficit from 38% to 19.3%.
But some regions are still struggling: east and northeast India have a big shortfall, and the south isn't far behind.
Because of this patchy rain, farmers have planted fewer crops so far this season, 53.12 million hectares compared with 63.25 million last year.
Economists warn food prices may rise
Economists say El Nino and uneven rainfall could hurt harvests for pulses and oilseeds, which means higher food prices for everyone.
Inflation rose to 4.38% in June, above the Reserve Bank of India's comfort zone, and gross domestic product growth is expected to slow down a bit this fiscal year (FY27, 2026-27) as a result.
Basically: the weather is making things tricky for both farmers and your wallet.