Monsoons may be even better than expected, according to IMD

The monsoon delivers about 70 per cent of India's rainfall, and is of critical importance for crops.

In what is sure to be good news for the people of the country and especially the farmers, the country is expected to receive higher than predicted rainfall this year.

Following growing number of farmer suicides due to failing crops last year as drought-like conditions hit many states in the country, especially in the southern part, the latest news is sure to bring much relief to everyone.

According to the latest announcement by the India Meteorological department (IMD), the country might witness better rainfalls than the department had previously forecasted. On April 18 the department had predicted that this year's monsoon rains will be at a level of 96 per cent of the 50-year average of 89 cm. But with the latest announcement things might be even better.

"Things have changed for the good since then," said K J Ramesh, director general of IMD. He added, "We assessed 96 per cent based on the climatological conditions up to March, Now, conditions are becoming favourable for an improvement over our April 18 estimate."

With nearly half of India's farmlands lacking irrigation, the agricultural sector of the country is heavily dependent on the monsoon, which delivers about 70 per cent of India's annual rainfall and is of critical importance for crops like rice, cane, corn, cotton and soybeans.

The rise in expectations from the monsoon come as fears related to a phenomena called El Nino eased. El Nino is the warming of the ocean surface temperatures in the eastern and central Pacific, which usually occurs every few years, and has an adverse affect on the weather conditions especially for the South-West monsoon that brings rainfall toIndia.

Ramesh has reportedly said that conditions such as establishment phase of the monsoon north of the equator has already started along with the Indian Ocean Dipole phenomena, which counters the impact of the El Nino, will have a positive impact on the Indian monsoon.

He also added that the southern states of India have already seen pre-monsoon showers which have brought much-needed relief to the farmers ahead of the start of the four-month monsoon season beginning June.

OneIndia News