M A I N   N E W S

Monsoon bounty: Good rains, plentiful grains
No sign of withdrawal for the next 10 days; expect bumper rabi yield
Vibha Sharma/TNS

The positives   Monsoon-governing parameters in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans continue to be favourable   There is no sign of monsoon retrieval from the northwest, at least for the next 10 days   Vital parameters are in conducive position for a bountiful winter crop

New Delhi, August 25
Countrywide cumulative seasonal rainfall to date is 13 per cent above average and there is no sign of the monsoon withdrawal from the northwest-the region that has recorded 24 per cent extra rains this season so far.

The country is expected to make good gains during the kharif season and the situation has also turned conducive for a good rabi season. Many factors contributed to the monsoon’s good run this year with the key being oceanic parameters, says IMD Director General LS Rathore.

“Monsoon-governing parameters in the three oceans-Pacific, Atlantic and Indian-continue to remain favourable,” Rathore told The Tribune today. There was no sign of monsoon retrieval activity from the northwest, at least for the next 10 days, though the intensity of rains was now expected to reduce, he added.

For a bountiful winter crop, weather conditions are as important as irrigation-related parameters of surface water, sub-surface moisture and residual moisture. As per Rathore, all three parameters are in extremely conducive position due to good monsoon rains. While reservoirs and rivers-sources of surface water-are brimming, so are origins of sub-surface moisture and residual moisture. Since the water position will be healthy, the power situation can only be in the positive now.

The monsoon generally starts withdrawing from the northern regions in the first half of the September and the retrieval is complete by around the month-end. However, there are year-to-year variations. At times, the monsoon overstays, sometimes till about mid-October.

Last year, the monsoon retrieval started around September-end but the rains, which account for 70 per cent of the country’s annual rainfall, started building up only around August. In fact, in 2012 many parts received good rains but because some monsoon-related features were not favourable, there was drought in some states and damage to crops in certain regions.

This year, the northeast has recorded less rain, but experts say the average there is much higher than the rest of the country.

This year, the monsoon covered the entire country much ahead of its schedule without a break and continued with its surprise run, making it one of the best years for the agriculture sector.

Ajit Tyagi, former DG of the IMD, attributes the spell of good rains without any breaks to the absence of adverse features.