India is likely to get above-average monsoon rainfall in September after receiving 5% above-normal rains in August, the state-run weather department said on Sunday.

Above-normal rainfall could damage India’s summer-sown crops like rice, cotton, soybean, corn, and pulses, which are typically harvested from mid-September.

All regions, except northeastern states and the southern states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, are likely to receive rainfall equating to 109% of the 50-year average in September, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

The monsoon is the lifeblood of India’s nearly $4 trillion economy, delivering almost 70% of the rainfall needed to water farms and replenishing aquifers and reservoirs.

Nearly half of India’s farmland is not irrigated and depends on the annual June-September rains for crop growth.
Source: Reuters