Agriculture heartland ‘parched’ due to scanty rains
2 min read 13 Jun 2023, 10:58 AM ISTPrivate weather forecaster Skymet predicts patchy rainfall in central and western India until July 6, potentially causing adverse effects on the farm sector.
PremiumPrivate weather forecaster Skymet has predicted patchy rainfall in the coming days and said it is likely to have an adverse effect on the farm sector, especially in cental and western India.
“Skymet Extended Range Prediction System (ERPS) is projecting a dismal outlook for the next 4 weeks, between June 9 and July 6. Agriculture heartland is looking rather cracked and parched. This coincides with the crucial time of sowing or at least preparing the field, with the hope of impending decent rains. Inadequate rains over the central and western parts, the core monsoon zone will find it difficult to absorb the drying effects, rather early in the season. It is likely to leave the poor farmer in a state of indecisiveness choosing between the type of crop and the crop cycle," the forecaster said in a statement on Monday.
Extended range forecasts by both the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and private meteorological forecaster Skymet Weather suggest that monsoon rains in the Indian hinterland may be patchy until the first week of July. Skymet Weather's recent forecast reveals that central and northwest India are expected to experience "extremely" and "severely" dry conditions until July 6. Their definition of "extremely" dry refers to rainfall that is 60% or less than normal, while "severely" dry indicates a rain deficiency between -20% and -59%.
The IMD's forecast also points to erratic rain coverage during the week of June 30 to July 6. Since June 1, the country has experienced a rainfall deficiency of 54%, with the south peninsula facing a 53% deficiency, central India experiencing an 80% deficiency, northwest India with a 10% deficiency, and the east and northeast regions having a 53% deficiency.
These unfavorable June rains can be attributed to the impact of the extremely severe cyclone Biparjoy, which has disrupted the normal monsoon patterns.