Northwest India is set to experience a surge in rainfall starting June 25, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicting isolated instances of heavy to very heavy downpours across various regions. This forecast is particularly significant as it comes at a time when early monsoon rains are expected to enhance the area available for kharif crops, a critical component of India’s agricultural output.
The IMD’s recent update indicates that heavy rainfall will persist in central, eastern, and northeastern parts of India over the next seven days. Notably, areas in West Madhya Pradesh could witness extremely heavy rainfall exceeding 20 cm in a 24-hour period on June 23-24. During the same timeframe, regions including East Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Konkan, Arunachal Pradesh, Vidarbha, Jharkhand, Odisha, Haryana, Punjab, West Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu & Kashmir can also expect significant precipitation.
The meteorological agency stated that conditions are conducive for the Southwest monsoon to extend further over the remaining North Arabian Sea, parts of Rajasthan and Haryana, and various districts in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, and West Uttar Pradesh in the next two days. Additionally, the forecast for West India highlights isolated heavy rainfall in Konkan, Goa, Madhya Maharashtra, and Gujarat between June 23-28, with especially heavy falls anticipated in Konkan and Gujarat on June 23-24. Light to moderate rainfall is expected in these regions during the latter part of June.
As a result of the widespread rain and an early arrival of the monsoon, the area covered by kharif crops has surged. By June 20, the total area sown reached 137.84 lakh hectares, marking an increase of 12.97 lakh hectares compared to the same period last year, according to data from the Agriculture Ministry. This surge in cultivated area is primarily driven by higher plantings of rice, pulses, and coarse cereals.
Notably, the area dedicated to paddy-the flagship kharif crop-expanded significantly, covering over 58% of the total kharif acreage at 13.22 lakh hectares. Sowing of pulses and coarse cereals also saw notable increases, jumping by 42% and 22% respectively, spurred by favorable rainfall conditions and positive predictions of monsoon performance from the IMD.
Given the reliance of kharif crops-encompassing paddy, maize, soybean, tur, and cotton-on monsoon rains, this uptick in sowing is a promising indicator for farmers, reducing concerns over potential food inflation arising from unfavorable weather patterns. Data reveals that rice cultivation has climbed significantly, with 13.22 lakh hectares reported by June 20, a sharp rise from 8.37 lakh hectares during the same timeframe last year. Pulses are also on the rise, with a cultivated area of 9.44 lakh hectares. However, cultivation of oilseeds remains slightly down at 5.38 lakh hectares compared to 5.49 lakh hectares last year.
The increased kharif acreage reflects farmers’ optimistic outlook on monsoon prospects. Moreover, this rise in cultivation area follows the Union government’s recent campaign, Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan, aimed at providing farmers with vital resources and knowledge for the kharif sowing season. The initiative ran from May 29 to June 12, further bolstering farmers’ confidence in managing their crops amid changing weather patterns.
Original Source: https://www.livemint.com/news/india/heavy-rainfall-likely-over-northwest-india-from-wednesday-says-imd-11750686675329.html
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Publish Date: 2025-06-23 21:50:00
