India’s rain-fed agricultural areas likely to receive above-normal monsoon rain this year

India's core monsoon zone to receive above-normal rainfall, with below-normal expected in northeast and normal in northwest.

India's core monsoon zone covering most of the rain-fed agriculture areas in the country are predicted to receive above-normal rainfall this season, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on May 27.

Below-normal monsoon rainfall is expected in northeast India, normal in northwest, and above-normal in central and south peninsular regions of the country, Director General of IMD Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said at a virtual press conference.

Last month, the IMD said the country could see above-normal rainfall in the four-month monsoon season (June to September) with cumulative rainfall estimated at 106% of the long-period average of 87 cm.

"India's monsoon core zone comprising most of the rain-fed agriculture areas are likely to receive above-normal rainfall (more than 106 per cent of the long period average)," Mr. Mohapatra said.

Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal form the country's core monsoon zone where agriculture is primarily rain-fed.

The IMD director general said the country is likely to experience normal rainfall (92-108% of the long period average of 166.9 mm) in June.

"Barring a few parts of southern peninsular India, normal to above-normal maximum temperatures are expected in the country in June," the senior meteorologist said, adding that conditions are favourable for monsoon onset over Kerala in the next five days.