THIRUVANANTHAPURAM/ PUNE, INDIA (Commodity Online): The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) which had forecast a normal monsoon on April 26, has now stated that rain fall has been deficient in 30 out of the 36 meteorolgoical divisions from June 1 to 13. 

Out of 36 meteorological sub-divisions, rainfall was excess in 02, normal in 03, deficient in 15, scanty in 14 and no rain in 02 sub-divisions during the week June 7 to 13.

 “Conditions are favourable for further advance of southwest monsoon into remaining parts of central Arabian Sea, Konkan and Tamilnadu, some more parts of interior Maharashtra, interior Karnataka and Bay of Bengal and some parts of Andhra Pradesh during next 3-4 days,” according to an IMD report released on Thursday.

IMD expects low pressure area to develop over northwest Bay of Bengal leading to increase in rainfall activity over Andhra Pradesh, eastern states & adjoining central India and East Uttar Pradesh in the coming days.

India banks on a normal monsoon as much of its agriculture crops are dependent on rains and it is also vital to create industrial demand especially for FMCG, and consumer durable products.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had said last week that weakness in crude oil prices and a normal monsoon would help Indian economy tide over the slowdown caused by Eurozone debt and global economic crisis. India’s GDP growth had fallen to 5.3% in Q4 2011-12 compared to 9.2% in Q4 2010-11 while GDP growth for 2011-12 fiscal fell to 6.5% as against 8.4% last fiscal.

This year, southwest monsoon has set in over Kerala on 5 June against the normal date of 1 June. It further advanced mainly along the west coast and over northeastern States on 6 June. It has covered entire Kerala, coastal Karnataka, Goa, southern parts of Konkan, Madhya Maharashtra, entire Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and parts of sub-Himalayan West Bengal & Sikkim, according to IMD report on June 8.

Rainfall Trends (June 7-13):
During this week, Southwest monsoon has further advanced into some more parts of Madhya Maharashtra, interior Karnataka, most parts of Tamilnadu, remaining parts of south Bay of Bengal and some more parts of Central & North Bay
of Bengal. The weekly rainfall for the country as a whole was 50% below the Long Period Average (LPA) which was 36% below long period average last week.

The Agriculture Ministry reported on June 8 that around 50.57 lakh hectares (ha.) under Sugarcane has been sown as against 49.35 lakh ha. in the corresponding period of 2011-12 and 7.98 lakh ha. under Jute & Mesta as compared to 8.46 lakh ha. in the corresponding period of 2011-12. Area coverage under Summer Pulses is 15.11 lakh ha. as compared to targeted area coverage of 17.49 lakh ha. for the current year. 

Update on sowing
Oilseeds have been sown in 1.72 lakh hectares so far. Groundnut has been sown in 88,700 hectares, Sesamum in 52,400 hectares and Sunflower in 20,400 hectares as on 14.6.2012. Andhra Pradesh has reported sowing of groundnut in 36,000 hectares and Tamil Nadu in 21,800 hectares. In Karnataka, 25,000 hectares have been reported under Sesamum cultivation.

Sugarcane has been planted in 51.76 lakh hectares as against 49.47 lakh hectares on this date last year. Jute has been sown in 8.03 lakh hectares so far.