Linking farm sector fortunes to unpredictable monsoon could be premature

More than normal rainfall, it is the distribution, spread and timeliness that will play a bigger role in improving the lot of farmers

As the government pins its hopes on a normal monsoon this year to revive the Covid-19-hit farm sector, experts said unless this growth translates into tangible improvement in farmers' incomes, the rural sector will not revive.

Overdependence on the monsoon is fraught with risks, as the rains are highly unpredictable and a lot depends on their distribution, spread and timeliness, than overall quantum.

The reliance of Indian agriculture on monsoon is also gradually waning, which means even if the rains aren't too good, farm output may not drop dramatically. Still, the June to September season  does have a very strong