Monsoon continues to be weak across most parts

According to the department of agriculture, there were chances of an agriculture drought in about 35 districts across the country

The southwest monsoon is continuing its weak run. For the week ended Thursday, it was 25 per cent below normal.

This was a consecutive week when rains have been below-normal. A few parts of north India, however, recorded floods due to heavy rain in the Himalayas.

According to a real-time assessment by the department of agriculture, there are chances of an agriculture drought in about 35 districts across the country. Maharashtra accounted for the highest number of these (10), followed by Gujarat (9) and Uttar Pradesh (6).

An agriculture drought is different from a meteorological drought, in that it takes into account surface moisture levels.

As of the week ended Thursday, the southwest monsoon this year (June 1 to August 20) has been 18 per cent below average, unchanged from the previous week. During this week, the monsoon was the weakest in the northwest parts of the country, including the key grain-producing regions of Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh.

Officials said this might have a significant impact on the production of maize, coarse cereals and pulses. They added rainfall in northwest India had been below-par so far this monsoon. "The weak phase is expected to spill over to the next week," Reuters news agency said, quoting D S Pai, director (long-range forecast), India Meteorological Department (IMD). "We expect a wet run from late August to early September," he added.

On August 11, Pune-based Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology had predicted rains would subside across the North in mid-August, adding it was possible these wouldn't pick up before the first week of September.

IMD data showed during June 1-August 20, rainfall deficiency in northwest India was the most (29 per cent below); rains in the east and northeast were 15 per cent below normal.

So far, rains in Punjab and Haryana have been 62 per cent below normal. In the Marathwada region of Maharashtra, too, rainfall deficiency stands at 62 per cent.

The southwest monsoon hit India on June 5, after a delay of four days. Thereafter, it didn't record good progress, raising the prospects of a drought. However, from the second week of July, good rains were recorded.