Monsoon to hit southern coast on time, says India Meteorological Department

New Delhi: Monsoon rains will hit the southern coast on time on June 1 this year. Issuing a statement, the India Meteorological Department said monsoon this year is expected to be normal.

Last month, India's weather office forecast normal rains for the third straight year. It had said the country was likely to avoid a drought in 2012 as monsoon rains were likely to be average.

The four-month long rainy season starts over the Kerala coast and covers the rest of India and neighbouring countries by mid-July.

The rains, vital for farm output and economic growth, irrigate about 60 percent of India's farmland. Farming accounts for about 15 percent of the country's economy.

• Also See