India's monsoon rain below average for 5th straight week


Reuters | New Delhi | Updated: 04-07-2019 11:17 IST | Created: 04-07-2019 10:03 IST
India's monsoon rain below average for 5th straight week
Image Credit: ANI
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  • India

India's monsoon rains in the week ending on Wednesday were below average for the fifth time in a row, although the deficit was the lowest since the start of the season after it revived in central and western regions. Monsoon rains are crucial for farm output and economic growth, as about 55% of India's arable land is rain-fed, and agriculture forms about 15% of a $2.5-trillion economy that is the third biggest in Asia.

India received 6% less rainfall than the 50-year average in the week ended on July 3, data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) showed. Soybean- and cotton-growing central regions received 43 percent more rainfall in the week, while the rubber- and tea-growing southern state of Kerala got 87 percent lower rainfall. India has received rain that is 28 percent less than average since the monsoon season began on June 1.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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