Monsoon rains touch average in past week

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's monsoon rains touched average in the week ending July 17, data from the weather office showed on Thursday, as rains picked up, particularly in areas growing oilseeds and cotton.

The rains, which came in heavily at the start of the June to September season, had slowed in the previous week, giving room to speed up the sowing of summer crops.

Most crops except rice are now in their last leg of planting in the country, where 55 percent of farmland relies on monsoon rains as it is without irrigation.

Seven weeks into this year's monsoon, rains have so far been average or above, suggesting India will avoid a drought. This 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)