Rains could wane over crucial Central, West India in next two weeks.
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indian farmers have planted 41.3 million hectares with summer crops, down 8.6% year on year, the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare said on Friday, though the gap in sowing narrowed from the previous week as monsoon rains picked up.
North-east and foothills of Himalaya could get good rainfall though, says official.
At 375.2 mm, the rainfall in the 24-hour period before 8.30 am Tuesday was the highest since the July 26, 2005, deluge in Mumbai
IMD has predicted that monsoon will be active in the southern parts of Maharashtra. Konkan Goa will get widespread rains in the next five days
Weatherman said the rains will gather steam and could cover the entire country in the next few weeks
Conditions are now favourable for the southwest monsoon to further advance into Gujarat, and a few more parts of Madhya Pradesh and northern states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, IMD said
Rainfall deficit narrows to 38 per cent from 44 per cent last week as Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat get monsoon.
A water crisis is brewing in many parts of the world's second-most populated nation as unsustainable use and few measures to harness rain lead to shortages
The progress of the southwest monsoon has been rather sluggish due to the impact of Cyclone Vayu
Maharashtra is the country's second biggest producer of cotton, sugar cane and soybeans, and top producer of onions and summer-sown pulses.
India Meteorological Department advised fishermen not to venture into the sea
IMD has forecast average rainfall in 2019, while the country's only private forecaster Skymet has predicted below-normal rainfall
Monsoon made an onset over Kerala on June 8, nearly a week after its usual onset date
Rainfall in the months ahead of the monsoon, which started from June 8, was more than 22% below normal
They are also relieved at the fall in import of cheap umbrellas from China which had dented the domestic market for several years
Monsoon showers reached Kerala on Saturday, after a week's delay
Several parts of Kerala have started receiving a good amount of rainfall
Last month, announcing the expected day of monsoon arrival over Kerala, IMD said it could happen on June 6, with an error margin of plus or minus four days
But with a model error of four days, monsoon may hit the mainland any day between June 2 and June 10