Keeping fingers crossed, as IMD's 'normal' monsoon forecast is not final

Agri sector needs good monsoon to build on last year's recovery after back-to-back droughts

The forecast by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) of a normal monsoon this year has come as a reassuring factor, mitigating the unease on this count emanating from private weather forecasters’ projection of below-par precipitation in the forthcoming rainy season. The country’s agricultural sector needs a good monsoon to build on last year’s recovery after being battered by back-to-back droughts in 2014 and 2015 as well as the disruption caused by demonetisation in 2016. The overall share of this sector in the Indian economy may have shrunk to less than 15 per cent, but it still supports, fully or partially,