A Good Monsoon Is Still A Far Cry

New Delhi: It seems a good monsoon is still a far cry. Despite the Met department's positive predictions of above normal rain in 2016, the progress of monsoon has been slow across India.

After the intial high, the South West monsoon winds slowed down took almost a week for the rains to advance to Maharashtra, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Orissa and other parts.

According to official data released by the IMD, in the first week of the monsoon between June 9-15, almost 60% of India received deficient or scanty rainfall.

According to IMD Director General LS Rathore rainfall was excess or normal in 15 and deficient or scanty in 21 out of 36 meteorological sub-divisions.

Across India the actual rainfall during the second week of June was just 23.8 mm which indicates a 29% deficit. The normal rainfall during this period would be 33.6 mm.

Mapping the Monsoon. (Courtesy: IMD)

Monsoon arrived in Kerala on June 9 instead of June 1 and although it rained well across Kerala, coastal Karnataka, southern and mid Western Ghats, south and north interior Karnataka, it arrived in Mumbai only on June 19.

Ahead of the Yoga day celebrations in Chandigarh

The rivers and reservoirs continue to fill up at a snail's pace which could be another reason to worry.

Last year's failure of monsoon has already caused a huge damage to agriculture.

If the monsoon fails to pick up speed before the first of July the sowing season which has already begun across India could be adversely affected.

The direct impact of a slow monsoon will be on commercial crops which in turn could impact food prices for a second consecutive year.

The Met department however continues to be very hopeful and predicts good rainfall in July and August.