INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
India is forecast to receive above-average rainfall in September after surplus rains in August, the weather department said.The rainfall in
September is likely to be more than 109% of a 50-year average, Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director-general of the India Meteorological
Department, told a virtual news conference.Above-normal rainfall could damage summer-sown crops, such as rice, cotton, soybean, corn, and
pulses, which are typically harvested from mid-September, Reuters reported.Crop damage can lead to food inflation, but the rains may also
result in higher soil moisture, benefiting the planting of winter-sown crops such as wheat, rapeseed, and chickpea.India, the world&s
second-largest producer of wheat, sugar, and rice, has imposed various curbs on the export of these farm commodities, and any losses due to
excessive rainfall could prompt New Delhi to extend those curbs.After receiving 9% more rainfall in July, India had 15.3% more rainfall than
average in August as the north-western and central region of the country received heavy rainfall, which led to flooding in some states.The
country has recorded 6.9% more rainfall than average since the start of the monsoon season on June 1.The lifeblood of a nearly $3.5-trillion
economy, the annual monsoon brings almost 70% of the rain India needs to water farms and replenish reservoirs and aquifers
Without irrigation, nearly half the farmland in the country depends on the rains that usually run from June to September.The monsoon
generally starts to retreat by mid-September from the northwestern state of Rajasthan, ending across the country by mid-October.However, the
forecast for September indicates that this year&s withdrawal could be delayed.&Forecast for September suggests that good rainfall activity
over Rajasthan and Gujarat starts about 15th September
Nowadays, if you look at, the withdrawal is getting delayed,& Mohapatra said.By mid-September, summer-sown crops become ready for
harvesting, and rainfall during this time could damage the ripe crops, said a Mumbai-based dealer with a global trade house.The post India
braces for another month of above-average rainfall in September first appeared on Ariana News.
