India Faces Unprecedented June Dry Spell Impacting Agricultural Output

India experienced its driest June in over a decade with monsoon rainfall 39.8% below average, affecting crop planting. The delay in monsoon has left northern plains extremely hot. With about 70% of annual rains from the monsoon supporting agriculture, the deficit poses a significant impact on the economy.

India recorded its driest June in more than a decade, marking the fifth driest since 1901, according to the weather department's data revealed on Tuesday. The monsoon rainfall was 39.8% below the long-term average, largely due to the delayed advancement of the monsoon season.

This rainfall deficit has considerably slowed down the planting of summer-sown crops like rice, corn, cotton, and soybeans. Additionally, several regions in the northern plains have been experiencing unusually high temperatures, surpassing 42 degrees Celsius, which has exacerbated the conditions.

The monsoon, crucial to India's nearly $4-trillion economy, delivers around 70% of annual precipitation essential for replenishing water sources and supporting agriculture. Approximately half of India's farmland is not irrigated, and about half of the population relies on agriculture for their livelihood, highlighting the potential impact of the rainfall deficit.