Monsoon lull may force oilseed farmers to shift to cotton, maize: CRISIL

In northwest and central India rainfall deficits are as high as 55%

The lull in the monsoon post June 23 has resulted in a 32% rainfall deficit during that period, and is likely to push farmers into changing their kharif crop patterns, according to an analysis by CRISIL research issued on Monday. Especially in northwest and central India, which are seeing rainfall deficits as high as 55%, farmers may be forced to move from oilseeds such as soybean and groundnut to crops which have lower water requirements, such as cotton and maize. Overall, sowing was slower than last year, with the total sown acreage lagging behind 12%. The southwest monsoon arrived in the country on June 3 this year, and had covered almost 93% of kharif acreage by June 23, a week before its usual onset. Until that point, there had been 28% surplus rainfall. After that point though, the monsoon played truant, resulting in a 32% deficit compared with the long period average, between June 23 and July 12.