The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday predicted that monsoon is likely to be normal in the second half of the four-month rainfall season. The rainfall during August is likely to be 97 per cent with a model error of plus/minus 9 percent of long period average as was forecasted in June. The rainfall for the country as a whole during the second half of the season is likely to be 104% of long period average with a model error of plus/minus 8 percent.
Due to better monsoon, 882.18 lakh hectare kharif crops area has been sown against 774.38 lakh hectare area compared to the corresponding period of last year. Thus the increase in area coverage is by 13.92 percent compared to last year in the country.
With the last two weeks of July ending deficit rainfall over large parts of North-West India and Central India, the IMD is pinning its hopes on a likely low-pressure area forming over the North Bay of Bengal to revive the monsoon in a resounding fashion from August 5.
Of the total 685 districts across India as per the IMD, 229 have received deficient rainfall while 456 received either normal or excess rainfall so far. Presently 197 districts are under either excess rainfall or large excess rainfall. The country has received 453.3 mm rains as against the normal of 452 mm so far.
According to the IMD, in its Long Range Forecast for the rainfall during second half (August-September) of the 2020 Southwest Monsoon and August is likely to receive rainfall that is 97 percent of the Long Period Average.
“Quantitatively, the rainfall over the country as a whole during the second half of the season is likely to be 104 percent of LPA with a model error of plus/minus 8 percent,” the IMD said.
The Long Period Average (LPA) rainfall over the country as a whole for the period 1961-2010 is 88 centimetres.
Monsoon in the range of 96-104 percent of the LPA is considered normal. The official rainfall season in the country is from June 1 to September 30.
As per agriculture ministry data, farmers have sown rice on 266.60 lakh hectare against 223.96 lakh hectare area of last year, an increase in area coverage by 19.04 percent, Pulses on 111.91 lakh hectare as against 93.84 lakh hectare area of last year, an increase in area coverage by 19.26 percent, coverage of Coarse Cereals reported on 148.34 lakh hectare area as against 139.26 lakh hectare area of last year an increase in area coverage by 6.52 percent. The data further showed that oilseeds were sown in 175.34 lakh hectare area as against 150.12 lakh hectare area of last year while Sugarcane on 51.78 lakh ha area against 51.20 lakh ha area of last year.