Below-average monsoon threatens crops in India
MUMBAI: A monsoon in India is expected to bring below-average rainfall to the country’s western, central and southern regions over the next fortnight, threatening newly planted cotton, soybean, corn and pulse crops, two senior weather officials said. The monsoon delivers about 70 per cent of India’s annual rains to replenish crucial water sources in the nearly $4 trillion economy, where nearly…
Mumbai is bracing for a monsoon season that is forecast to deliver below-average rainfall to India's western, central and southern regions, potentially damaging crops of cotton, soybean, corn and pulses, according to senior weather officials. This monsoon accounts for roughly 70% of the nation's annual precipitation, a critical resource for India's $4 trillion economy, where over half of the land lacks irrigation and half the population relies on agriculture for income.
The weather department predicts rainfall will diminish across most parts of the country within the next fortnight, save for certain eastern and northern states. "The rainfall shortfall could be substantial in the western and southern states during this period," remarked a senior official from the India Meteorological Department, speaking on condition of anonymity due to media restrictions.
As of now, India has accumulated 12% less rainfall than the average for the current monsoon season, which commenced on June 1. States such as Andhra Pradesh in the south have experienced rainfall deficits reaching up to 34%. Experts anticipate this rainfall shortfall to widen by month-end, as an intensifying El Nino is anticipated to further diminish rainfall in the coming weeks.
Following an average July rainfall, farmers have accelerated planting of summer crops, including soybeans, cotton, corn, pulses and rice, which depend heavily on soil moisture. Meanwhile, worldwide economic losses from natural disasters have hit $100 billion in the first half of the year, according to Swiss Re, a global reinsurance firm.
This figure represents a significant drop from the $152 billion recorded in the same period last year, and 10% below the 10-year average. While losses from severe storms in the United States and earthquakes in Venezuela were lower than usual, Swiss Re cautioned that such losses typically escalate in the latter half of the year, primarily due to North Atlantic hurricanes.
Balz Grollimund, Swiss Re's director of Catastrophe Perils, warned that even if the first half of the year appears less costly, it does not diminish the looming risk. "A single, catastrophic event like a hurricane, earthquake, or wildfire can swiftly alter the landscape," Grollimund cautioned.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
