Monsoon rains cover two-thirds of country by June 14

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The monsoon had covered two-thirds of the country by Friday, L. S Rathore, the chief of the India Meteorological Department, told reporters on Friday, indicating bountiful rains and higher farm output this year.

Monsoon rains, which arrived on schedule on the southern Kerala coast on June 1, have recorded higher than average levels for the second straight week to June 12.

Having seen a strong start, a senior weather official expects rains to cover the whole of India before mid-July, a week earlier than expected. The weather office also expects rains to be average this year.

(Reporting by Ratnajyoti Dutta; editing by Jo Winterbottom)