Firstpost
  • Home
  • Video Shows
    Vantage Firstpost America Firstpost Africa First Sports
  • World
    US News
  • Explainers
  • News
    India Opinion Cricket Tech Entertainment Sports Health Photostories
  • Asia Cup 2025
Apple Incorporated Modi ji Justin Trudeau Trending

Sections

  • Home
  • Live TV
  • Videos
  • Shows
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Health
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • Web Stories
  • Business
  • Impact Shorts

Shows

  • Vantage
  • Firstpost America
  • Firstpost Africa
  • First Sports
  • Fast and Factual
  • Between The Lines
  • Flashback
  • Live TV

Events

  • Raisina Dialogue
  • Independence Day
  • Champions Trophy
  • Delhi Elections 2025
  • Budget 2025
  • US Elections 2024
  • Firstpost Defence Summit
Trending:
  • PM Modi in Manipur
  • Charlie Kirk killer
  • Sushila Karki
  • IND vs PAK
  • India-US ties
  • New human organ
  • Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale Movie Review
fp-logo
India’s rainfall deficit rises amid monsoon’s slow advance: Why this is a cause of concern
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter
Apple Incorporated Modi ji Justin Trudeau Trending

Sections

  • Home
  • Live TV
  • Videos
  • Shows
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Health
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • Web Stories
  • Business
  • Impact Shorts

Shows

  • Vantage
  • Firstpost America
  • Firstpost Africa
  • First Sports
  • Fast and Factual
  • Between The Lines
  • Flashback
  • Live TV

Events

  • Raisina Dialogue
  • Independence Day
  • Champions Trophy
  • Delhi Elections 2025
  • Budget 2025
  • US Elections 2024
  • Firstpost Defence Summit
  • Home
  • Explainers
  • India’s rainfall deficit rises amid monsoon’s slow advance: Why this is a cause of concern

India’s rainfall deficit rises amid monsoon’s slow advance: Why this is a cause of concern

FP Explainers • June 26, 2024, 17:27:39 IST
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter

The slow progress of the southwest monsoon in India has led to a 19 per cent shortage of rain until June 25. The precipitation deficit has raised alarm bells about the country reeling from high food prices if the situation does not improve

Advertisement
Subscribe Join Us
Add as a preferred source on Google
Prefer
Firstpost
On
Google
India’s rainfall deficit rises amid monsoon’s slow advance: Why this is a cause of concern
A recent report has found that India's marginal farmers were most affected by rain-related events in the past five years. Representational Image/Reuters

India is staring at a shortage of rainfall in June. According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) data, the precipitation deficit increased to 18.6 per cent until June 25, compared to 17.8 per cent a day before, due to the slow progress of the southwest monsoon.

A shortfall in rain has far-reaching consequences. As the “below normal” rainfall in June stings India, fears have emerged of the country witnessing food inflation.

Let’s take a closer look.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

What has the IMD said?

As of June 25, India’s rainfall deficit is nearly 19 per cent below the long-period average (LPA), the IMD has said.

A normal monsoon is computed using a long-period average of 30 years for a particular area. A shortage is calculated in percentage if the precipitation is below the LPA, according to a Moneycontrol report.

More from Explainers
How ChatGPT is becoming everyone’s BFF and why that’s dangerous How ChatGPT is becoming everyone’s BFF and why that’s dangerous This Week in Explainers: How recovering from Gen-Z protests is a Himalayan task for Nepal This Week in Explainers: How recovering from Gen-Z protests is a Himalayan task for Nepal

Out of the 36 states and Union Territories, 11 continue to report rainfall deficit of more than 50 per cent, with Chandigarh and Punjab being the worst affected.

In 12 states, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, Jharkhand and Gujarat, the rainfall was below 50 per cent of normal until June 25.

Reservoir levels are also a cause of alarm. As of June 20, they are 9 per cent below the LTA.
Tamil Nadu, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh have reported over 50 per cent shortage in reservoir levels.

In May, the weather department had predicted “normal” rainfall in June. While the southwest monsoon arrived two days early in Kerala and six days before in northeast India on May 30, its advancement has been sluggish so far.

Impact Shorts

More Shorts
Ghaziabad woman dead, pilgrims attacked in bus… How Nepal’s Gen-Z protests turned into a living hell for Indian tourists

Ghaziabad woman dead, pilgrims attacked in bus… How Nepal’s Gen-Z protests turned into a living hell for Indian tourists

Were bodyguards involved in Charlie Kirk’s shooting? The many conspiracies surrounding the killing

Were bodyguards involved in Charlie Kirk’s shooting? The many conspiracies surrounding the killing

A school girl with an umbrella rides on her bicycle to school during the monsoon rain as clouds hover over the sky on the outskirts of Guwahati, on June 20, 2024. File Photo/AP

India received an overall three per cent surplus until June 10. But the monsoon’s slow progress as searing temperatures baked most parts of the country worsened the situation.

The southern peninsula has recorded an excess of nine per cent of rains, while there has been a deficiency of 16 per cent over eastern and northeast India and 23 per cent over central India.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

The northwest India has logged a rainfall shortage of 57 per cent from June 1-25, reported News18.

The Met department now forecasts “below normal” rainfall for India in June.

The impact of rainfall crunch

Almost 50 per cent of farmers’ irrigation needs for agriculture rely solely on the monsoon.
A poor monsoon could hit agricultural output, triggering higher food prices and inflation.

The rain shortfall in June has already forced farmers to halt their sowing preparations for kharif crops such as rice, sugarcane, cotton, and soybeans. As per a Down To Earth (DTE) magazine report, the sowing of kharif crops kickstarts in Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana around this time. However, a lack of rainfall has prevented the farmers to go ahead.

Paddy planting has been affected in Punjab due to hot and dry weather. A Punjab agriculture department official told DTE, “We do not have official data yet, but preliminary reports indicate that farmers are adopting a wait-and-see approach. Labour shortage also compounded the issue as agricultural workers had gone home for the elections.”

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

The magazine’s report noted that a recurring dry June has led farmers to change their sowing patterns.

india paddy
A farmer walks as he works in a paddy field on the outskirts of Guwahati, July 30, 2021. File Photo/AP

Speaking to Forbes India, Madhavi Arora, lead economist, Emkay Global Financial Services, warned, “A significant delay in kharif sowing will impact food output, and the rabi sowing season as farmers will have less time to prepare their fields after the kharif harvest.”

A ‘State of Marginal Farmers of India 2024’ report published last week found that rain-related events have hurt India’s marginal farmers more significantly than other extreme weather events in the past five years, reported Scroll. Over 50 per cent of the 6,615 respondents said that they lost half or more of their standing crops owing to rain-related weather conditions, including droughts or less than-normal-rainfall, early withdrawal or late onset of the monsoon, and a rise in unseasonal rainy days.

The prolonged and intense heatwaves have already hit food retail prices. According to Forbes India, economists pointed out that average retail prices on an annual basis increased by 45.1 per cent for vegetables, 13.5 per cent for pulses, 9.4 per cent for cereals, and three per cent for milk.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

If the monsoon picks pace next month, the vegetable prices could drop from August. “However, prices of milk and pulses will stay high due to tight supplies. Cereals could also see elevated prices, with the government announcing a 5.4 per cent increase in MSP [minimum support price] for paddy for the current kharif marketing season,” Arora told Forbes India.

ALSO READ: Erratic monsoon: How climate change is making it difficult for Indian farmers

Will there be relief soon?

The IMD is hopeful that the monsoon will advance in July. Senior IMD scientist Dr DS Pai told News18, “The monsoon is looking much more organised now. The rainfall activity has improved significantly, so it should progress well now.”

La Niña weather conditions are expected to develop during July-September. The phenomenon is known to bring abundant rainfall to India and colder and longer winters.

Progress in the monsoon pace will be good for the farmers as July and August are the main months for the sowing and vegetative growth of the kharif crops.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

With inputs from agencies

Tags
Heatwave IMD India
End of Article
Latest News
Find us on YouTube
Subscribe
End of Article

Impact Shorts

Ghaziabad woman dead, pilgrims attacked in bus… How Nepal’s Gen-Z protests turned into a living hell for Indian tourists

Ghaziabad woman dead, pilgrims attacked in bus… How Nepal’s Gen-Z protests turned into a living hell for Indian tourists

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli resigned following violent protests in Nepal. An Indian woman from Ghaziabad died trying to escape a hotel fire set by protesters. Indian tourists faced attacks and disruptions, with some stranded at the Nepal-China border during the unrest.

More Impact Shorts

Top Stories

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Top Shows

Vantage Firstpost America Firstpost Africa First Sports
Latest News About Firstpost
Most Searched Categories
  • Web Stories
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • IPL 2025
NETWORK18 SITES
  • News18
  • Money Control
  • CNBC TV18
  • Forbes India
  • Advertise with us
  • Sitemap
Firstpost Logo

is on YouTube

Subscribe Now

Copyright @ 2024. Firstpost - All Rights Reserved

About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Terms Of Use
Home Video Shorts Live TV