Weak Monsoon Concern for Farmers
The prediction of ‘near normal’ South West monsoon this year by the Indian Meteorological Department notwithstanding, there is fear of a ‘weak monsoon’ raising concern for farm sector in the country. The Met Department has said that the possibility of rainfall being ‘excessive’ or ‘above normal’ is very low. Overall, the IMD says that the monsoon will be 96% which is near normal spread over four months beginning June next.
What makes the farmers worry is weak rainfall in the first two months of June and July which is the sowing time for khariff crop particularly paddy. In rice growing States sowing of paddy begins in May end- June in upland that is commonly known as ‘taand’ in local parlance in rural areas. Once the paddy is strewn in the field, farmers look at sky for the rain bearing cl...