The South-West Monsoon, which brought excess rain in most parts of the country, is expected to withdraw, starting from west Rajasthan next week.

“The conditions are becoming favourable for commencement of withdrawal of the South-West monsoon from west Rajasthan and adjoining areas of North-West India around September 9,” the India Meteorological Department said. The cumulative rainfall since the onset of monsoon till September 4 was about eight per cent more across the country. Of the 36 meteorological sub-divisions, the rainfall has been in excess over 11 and normal over 19 sub-divisions. Six sub-divisions – mainly in the eastern and north eastern parts of the country — have received deficient rains for the season so far. However, in the past week, 22 per cent excess rainfall have made up for the shortfall in the eastern and north eastern parts. Excess rains this year have helped improve the storage position in reservoirs across the country. The live storage levels in 85 important reservoirs for the week ended September 5 was 127.90 billion cubic meters or 83 per cent of the storage capacity at full reservoir levels. The current year’s storage is nearly 129 per cent of last year’s storage and 126 per cent of the average of last 10 years.

Meanwhile, kharif sowing is about 96 per cent the normal kharif area of 1,068.10 lakh ha.

Transplanting of rice still continues in Orissa and Bihar. It is expected to continue for a couple of more weeks.

Planting of pulses, oilseeds, cotton and coarse cereals is almost complete. In fact, the total acreage under oilseeds has exceeded the normal area and stood at an all-time high of 191.64 ha. This was mainly on account of a record area under soyabean, while the acreage in groundnut and sunflower has exceeded last year’s levels. Similarly, coarse cereals, such as maize and pulses, mainly arhar or tur, have registered a record coverage of 80.74 lakh ha and 38.59 lakh ha, respectively.

>vishwanath.kulkarni@thehindu.co.in

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