Monsoon likely to cover entire India by July 6, says IMD

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The monsoon is likely to cover the entire country by July 6 even as it is yet to arrive in parts of Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday evening. The northern limit of the monsoon was passing through Deesa, Ratlam, Jaipur, Rohtak, Pathankot, and Jammu and conditions were favourable for its further advance.

An east-west trough was running from Punjab to the northeast Bay of Bengal at lower tropospheric levels. Due to this, moist winds from the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea were over northern parts of the country at lower tropospheric levels.

The monsoon advanced into almost the entire northwest India, including Delhi on Thursday as IMD said it has entered a good phase now.

Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology’s extended-range forecast indicates above-average rains across the country till July 7.

The monsoon, the June to September rain-bearing system, is often called the lifeblood of India’s economy. Half of Indians depend on farm-derived income and nearly 40% of India’s net-sown area does not have access to irrigation. Similarly, half of India’s farm output comes from summer crops dependent on the monsoon. For good farm output, the rains have to be not just robust but also evenly spread across states. A normal monsoon is critical as global food prices have hit record highs due to a shortage amid the Ukraine conflict. A subpar monsoon cuts farm yields, output, and farm incomes increasing India’s dependence on food imports.

A robust monsoon will help put a lid on food inflation by increasing the domestic output of a variety of goods and commodities. Millions of farmers await the rainy season to begin summer sowing of key crops such as rice, sugar, cotton, coarse cereals, lentils, gram, and edible oils.

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