Monsoon rains 5 percent below average in past week

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's monsoon rains were 5 percent below average in the week ending July 10, data from the weather office showed on Thursday, in a brief pull back for the four-month long rainy season that began in June with heavy early rainfall.

During the first five weeks of the monsoon season, the rains were above average for each week with torrential early downpours causing floods and landslides in northern and eastern regions, displacing thousands and killing hundreds of people.

But crop-growing regions have not been affected much by floods and most have seen sowing helped by above average rains which started slowing down from the last week of June, giving room to expedite the last phase of summer planting.

The June to September monsoon season is crucial for the 55 percent of India's farmland without irrigation.

A monsoon that avoids drought will mean higher rural incomes in the world's second most populous country, improving sales of everything from cars and gold to refrigerators.

(Reporting by Ratnajyoti Dutta; Editing by Jo Winterbottom)