Met office betters monsoon forecast from 99% to 103% 

NEW DELHI:  There’s good news for the agri sector. The monsoon rainfall is likely to be above normal for rainfed agriculture regions, bringing a big relief keeping in mind high inflation and country agriculture driven economy.  

Presenting its second stage long-range forecast for monsoon on Tuesday, the India Meteorological Department upgraded the forecast for rainfall during June-September season from an earlier 99 per cent average to 103 per cent.

Monsoon rainfall in India is likely to be above normal in central India (over 106% of LPA), and southern peninsula (over 106% of LPA). It is likely to be normal over northeast India (96-106% of LPA) and northwest India (96-106% of LPA). The LPA (Long Period Average) is 87 mm based on the average rainfor the 1971-2020 period.

“The southwest monsoon seasonal rainfall over the monsoon core zone, which consists of most of the rainfed agriculture regions is most also likely to be above normal at over 106% of LPA,” it said. “We have increased the quantum of rainfall likely to be received during monsoon because projections are showing that La Nina conditions will continue till the end of monsoon. La Nina conditions will support normal rains, which may be countered a little due to development of negative Indian Ocean Dipole conditions over the Indian Ocean,” said M Mohapatra, DG, IMD.

Hope for better crops 

• In April, the IMD had said the country would receive normal rainfall 99 per cent of the long period average (LPA)
• Monsoon core zone - states that are dependent on rain for agriculture - is set to experience above normal rainfall at over 106 per cent of of long period average