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The monsoon has revived after falling short of expectations in the first 15 days of its arrival, brightening prospects for the higher farm output of summer-sown crops such as rice, soybean and cotton. Having hit the Kerala coast on June 5, four days after its predicted arrival date, the rains were 50 percent below average in the first week. The arrival of monsoons has brought cheer to farmers in Alleppey. “We hope to have good monsoons and a better yield. If there is rain, it washes off the impurities from the upper layer, which is good for the crops. If there is no rain or the rainfall is deficient, then there are chances of the field being infested with pests,” Mohan Das, a farmer, said. The rains are interlinked with the lives of millions of farmers. “The monsoons have delayed this time. We will face problems if there is no rain. We will have to use water pumps in case the rainfall is erratic,” said Mohanan, a farmer. India is the world's second-biggest producer of rice, wheat, sugar and cotton and also one of the largest consumers. This year, country's weather office had forecasted average rainfall for the whole June to September season. Indian Meteorological Department scientist, M Mohapatra said it was too early to predict deficiency in the rainfall pattern, despite a weak arrival. He also reassured that the monsoons are likely to advance further. “This is just the beginning of the season, so we should not be very worried about the deficiency. We are expecting further improvement in monsoons, which will cover off the deficiency,” he said. The June-September rains are vital for agriculture and economic growth of the nation, since irrigation covers only 45 percent of the farmland. The farm sector accounts for about 15 percent of country’s nearly $2 trillion economy.

Monsoon picks up after lull, crop prospects brighten