Heavy rainfall could spell trouble for kharif crops

MONSOON WATCH

Actual
(in mm) Normal
(in mm) Deviation
(%) North-West India488.80582.20

(-)16

Central India974.50940.504 South Peninsular India838.40656.2028 North-East India1363.801341.202 Country as a whole860.60838.403 Source: IMD
This is expected to result in enhanced rainfall in that region. In fact, scattered to fairly widespread rainfall is predicted for the next 4 to 5 days in other parts of the country as well.  Heavy downpours in the past few days have already triggered a fresh bout of floods in the eastern region, besides turning conditions unfavourable for plantations and some other crops in the south.  This can prove a dampener for kharif production despite the total cropped area in the current season being about 2.5 million hectares, or 2.5 per cent, higher than the long-period average.  Where plantations are concerned, the main concern is about spices, notably cardamom, and rubber. There is also anxiety over the emergence of pests and diseases on different crops in many parts of the country though, fortunately, their incidence is still at a moderate level.  However, the cumulative monsoon rainfall till September 19 has been 3 per cent above the normal in the entire country though it has been 16 per cent below the normal in the north-west India.  While the total rainfall in the north-eastern and central India has been more or less normal, only 2 to 4 per cent in excess of the long-period average, it has been 28 per cent above the normal in the southern peninsula. The distribution of the rainfall over the entire season has been fairly normal as indicated in the accompanying chart.  The overall water stock in the country