August Rains Fail To Shrink India's 14% Monsoon Deficit
· India · Times of India, Moneycontrol
India's cumulative monsoon rainfall deficit has widened to nearly 14% as of August 29, up from 13% at the end of July, despite better-than-expected August showers in several regions. The shortfall is most severe in Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, and the northeastern states of Meghalaya, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh, each reporting a cumulative rainfall deficit exceeding 40% since June 1. Twelve states have logged rain deficits above 20% over the season, while peninsular India — including Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala — has recorded a deficit of more than 23%. Erratic rainfall distribution in both July and August has pulled down kharif sowing, with paddy acreage down over 3% and maize down more than 4% year-on-year, dragging total kharif acreage down nearly 2%. The maize shortfall may push ethanol producers to rely more heavily on sugarcane as feedstock. The IMD has forecast subdued rainfall over peninsular India for the next week, though isolated heavy to very heavy rain is ex
Why it matters
Lower kharif output — especially in paddy and maize — directly affects farmers' incomes, food prices, and India's ethanol supply chain, with maize-dependent ethanol producers likely to shift to sugarcane if the maize deficit persists.
Read the original report — Times of India
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