Kerala monsoon 26% below normal with 60% chance 10% drier
India
This year's monsoon showed up three days late in Kerala and started off with 26% less rain than usual.
The weather office says there is a good chance (60%) that the season will end up 10% drier overall, while a strong El Nino usually means weaker rains for India.
Farmers may struggle sowing pulses, oilseeds
Less rain early on could make it tough for farmers to plant key crops like pulses and oilseeds, especially since many rely on rainfall instead of irrigation.
If the dry spell continues, we might see vegetable prices jump, since vegetables are more sensitive to weather swings than grains like rice or wheat.