Crisil DRIP index: Four states feel the heat as rains turn patchy

Groundnut, tur and bajra are crops seeing some stress

As on August 8, the all-India rainfall was 10% below the long-period average (LPA). That’s the borderline for normal rains and a fall from here would mean deficient rains. 

More worrying is the fact that distribution has turned patchy. Among key kharif-growing states, while rains have caught up in Uttar Pradesh, five states — Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, West Bengal, Bihar and Gujarat — are 10-20% deficient. 

That said, the rainfall volume data alone is not sufficient to assess the hydration math. For a comprehensive perspective on states and crops, there is a need to countenance the vulnerabilities that