Monsoon rains show signs of departure

The rains, so far five per cent below normal, are now likely to withdraw from some more parts of central and north India in the next few days. The withdrawal has been delayed by 15 days.

Till Wednesday, India had received 766.1 millimetres of rainfall while the full-season normal is around 889 millimetres.

To reach this from here, the country has to receive at least 7.6 millimetres of rainfall daily, which would have to be at least double the September average of four-five millimetres every day. "This looks very unlikely, which further lends credence to the fact that IMD (India Meteorological Department) might have got its forecast wrong this year," a former official said.

The data also showed that till Wednesday, rains over north-west India were around two per cent below normal, while in Central India one per cent above normal.

In east and north-east India, 13 per cent below normal.

IMD, in its weekly update, said rains would continue over east and north-east India and over parts of Maharashtra till September 23 (next Friday).

"Today, the southwest monsoon has withdrawn from some parts of west Rajasthan," it added.

El Ni�o conditions have remained neutral so far, while the Madden Julian Oscillation and Indian Ocean Dipole have remained unsupportive so far, which has been blamed for the forecast going wrong.

Meanwhile, water levels in the 91-major reservoirs across the country have been around 107.67 Billion Cubic Meters (BCM) which is 68 per cent of full capacity. This storage is more than last year, while just less than the 10-year average.

The rains have also come as big boost to kharif sowing with the total acreage almost 4 per cent more than last year, with area under pulses being almost 30 per cent more than last year.

Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu today said prices of pulses are showing a downward trend due to "expected adequate production" in view of good monsoon as well as various government measures to tame inflation.