MUMBAI – India’s crucial monsoon rains reached the southern Kerala coast a few days earlier than anticipated on Thursday, according to the national weather office. This early onset is expected to enhance the prospects for bumper harvests, potentially spurring farm and economic growth in Asia’s third-largest economy.
Typically, monsoon rains begin around June 1 in coastal Kerala and spread across the country by mid-July, initiating the planting season for key crops such as rice, corn, cotton, soybeans, and sugarcane. The monsoon season is vital for India’s nearly $3.5 trillion economy, delivering about 70% of the rain needed to irrigate farms and replenish reservoirs and aquifers.
Nearly half of India’s farmland relies on these annual June-September rains due to a lack of irrigation infrastructure. Consistent monsoon rains are also expected to provide relief from the severe heat wave that has seen temperatures soar above 50 degrees Celsius (122°F) in parts of northern and western India.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts average rainfall in June, though temperatures are expected to remain above normal. This year’s monsoon rains are projected to be 106% of the long-term average, defined by the IMD as between 96% and 104% of a 50-year average of 87 cm (35 inches) over the four-month season.
Last year’s below-average rainfall led to depleted reservoir levels and reduced food production, prompting the government to impose export restrictions on rice, wheat, sugar, and onions. The resumption of these exports depends on a swift recovery in production, which hinges on robust monsoon rainfall in 2024. India is the world’s second-largest producer of rice, wheat, and sugar.
Abundant rains could also help mitigate food inflation, which has been above the central bank’s comfort level. Additionally, the La Niña weather phenomenon, expected to occur between July and September, could further enhance rainfall in India. As the monsoon season progresses, the early arrival of rains brings hope for a prosperous agricultural year and economic stability in India.