Delayed monsoon may harm crop yields

The slow progress of the monsoon and the possibility of insufficient rainfall may lead to a reduction in the cultivation of paddy, corn, and soya bean crops.

Image Source: Pixabay

The delayed arrival of the monsoon and the possibility of insufficient rainfall may lead to shrinking the production of paddy, corn, and soya bean crops. Farmers are running out of time to complete their Kharif sowing. Lower crop production typically results in higher prices and restricts farm sector growth.

According to the Union agriculture ministry’s website, kharif cultivation has covered only 4.9 million hectares, which is just half of the previous year’s area. This is due to a significant 42% rainfall deficit since 1st June.

If rains arrive late, farmers have limited time left before the sowing window closes, and inadequate rainfall will have negative effects on crop yields.

Dharmakirti Joshi, chief economist at Crisil Ltd, a global analytics company said, ”Though the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted a normal monsoon, timeliness and regional distribution are critical for crop production, price signalling, and shaping inflation expectations. With the rabi harvest entering the market, some respite in the prices of cereal and pulses could be felt in the next 2-3 months.”

While paddy farmers in states with irrigation facilities have started planting activities. However, those in West Bengal, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha are still waiting for the arrival of the monsoon.