The southwest monsoon – the lifeline of millions of farmers – this year was deficient in 30 per cent of the areas around the country, with the second lowest June rain in the last 10 years.
India Meteorological Department (IMD), in its end-of-season report – which analyses the onset, progress and movement of the southwest monsoon every year – says that in 2014, rainfall was normal in 67 per cent of the total geographical area, mapped by 36 meteorological subdivisions. It was deficient in 30 per cent of the areas and excess in the remaining 3 percent.
Rainfall in June was 57 per cent of the Long-Period Average (LPA), while it was 90 per cent in July and August and 108 per cent in September.
LPA is the average rainfall that the country has received during the last 50 years.
“June rainfall recorded this year (along with 1923) was fourth lowest recorded during the last 114 years (1901-2014) and second lowest during the last 10 years. The lowest ever June rainfall (52 per cent of the LPA) was recorded in 1926 followed by 2009 (53 per cent of the LPA),” the Met office said.
Rainfall in four sub-divisions (Himachal Pradesh, west Uttar Pradesh, east Uttar Pradesh and Telangana) was deficient or scanty during all the four months of the season. The below-normal rainfall in the initial part of the four-month season had its impact on kharif harvest.
As per the government’s first advanced estimate, foodgrain production during the kharif season is expected to be around 9 million tonnes less than last year.
The IMD report said incessant rainfall associated with monsoon low pressure systems and active monsoon conditions in the presence of strong cross equatorial flow often caused flood situations over various areas during different parts of the season this year.