NEW DELHI (Commodity Online) : India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday said country’s southwest monsoon rainfall was 23% below normal this year.

In May, IMD had forecasted rainfall this year will be 93% of normal. But due to poor rains in August, it downgraded forecast to 87% of normal.

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Poor rains hit northwest India the hardest, with rainfall being 36% below normal. Central India received 20% less rains, northeast 27% and south peninsula 4%.

Monsoon rains, which are crucial for agriculture in the country, entered Kerala coast on May 23, earlier than scheduled arrival date of Jun 1.

However, their progress was delayed after a cyclonic storm, Aila, hit Bay of Bengal in June. Rainfall was 47% below normal in the month.

Later, monsoon advanced rapidly and rains covered the entire country by Jul 3, earlier than normal date of Jul 15.

Due to this, deficit in rainfall narrowed to 4% below normal in July. However, less precipitation in Aug-Sep widened overall seasonal deficit again.

Monsoon rains were 27% and 21% below normal in August and September, respectively. Monsoon withdrawal in west Rajasthan was delayed to Sep 25, compared with Sep 1 under normal circumstances.