India's monsoon deficit narrows, kharif sowing at 531.25L hectares
India
India's monsoon rainfall deficit narrowed in July, helping farmers catch up on kharif crop sowing.
As of July 10, fields covered 531.25 lakh hectares, just a bit below the usual and a big jump from two weeks ago.
India's sowing 16% behind last year
Even with this boost, sowing is still 16% behind last year's numbers.
Rice, sugarcane, and jute are doing better than average, but pulses, oilseeds, and cotton are lagging.
The overall monsoon deficit has narrowed to 18%, though some regions, especially the northeast, are still missing out on rain.