Monsoon rains maintain strength, seen normal in Aug-Sept

MUMBAI (Reuters) - Monsoon rains were a fifth above average in the week ending July 31, provisional data from the weather office showed on Thursday, as the season continues to bring ample rainfall which is now sprouting concerns standing crops could be damaged.

Heavy rainfall over most parts of areas that grow soybean and some parts of those growing cotton kept the overall rainfall 20 percent above average in the past week.

Planting of most summer-sown crops except rice has almost been completed in the country, where 55 percent of farmland relies on the June to September monsoon rains as it has no irrigation.

Rainfall halfway through the season, at the end of July, was 17 percent above average and farmers have taken advantage to plant much more land with summer crops than usual, with the exception of sugar cane, which is lagging.

The continuing downpours, however, are now raising concerns that some crops like soybean, cotton, pulses and groundnut, which are now entering into flowering stage, could be damaged.

Rainfall in August and September, the second half of the four-month long monsoon season, is likely to be normal or 96 percent of the long-term average, the state-run weather department said on Thursday.

The department had earlier forecast an overall normal monsoon in 2013 with a rainfall estimate of 98 percent of the long-term average.

Rains between 96 percent and 104 percent of a 50-year average of 89 cm for the entire season are considered normal, or average.

(Reporting by Rajendra Jadhav; Editing by Jo Winterbottom)