Dry June hits sowing of kharif crops; monsoon likely to revive in July

Kharif sowing this June has been a little more than 25 per cent of the normal of the last five years on account of the month being drier than usual.

But there is hope the rains will pick up in July and August because the southwest monsoon is set for revival over the central and northern parts of the country.

Till June 30, the southwest monsoon was 33 per cent lower than normal, which is among the worst in the last five years, with 28 of the 36 meteorological divisions recording deficient rain.

As a result, the sowing of kharif crops till Friday