Why Indian farmers worry despite 'average' monsoon rains
MUMBAI, July 18 (Reuters) - India has received average monsoon rains since the start of the season on June 1, despite concerns that an El Nino weather pattern could lead to lower rainfall this year.
Delay in the arrival of the monsoon led to a large rain deficit up to mid-June, but heavy rains since the last week of June erased the shortfall.
While average monsoon rains are ordinarily good for Indian farmers, uneven distribution this year has created new worries. ERRATIC DISTRIBUTION
Some northern and north-western states have received excessive rains, while southern and eastern regions have been unusually dry.
Only a third of the country has received average rainfall so far this season, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data. Meanwhile, about 34% of India has received deficient rains and 32% excessive rainfall, the data shows.
States such as Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, and Rajasthan received nearly double their normal rainfall so far this season. Jharkhand, Bihar, Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Kerala have received up to 41% less rainfall than normal.