The monsoon deficit may have improved from minus 44 per cent to minus 33 per cent in two weeks, but it is still a big headache for farmers across the country. Sowing data from across the country shows a fall for crucial crops like rice and pulses in the kharif season.
A 33 per cent rainfall deficit for June this year is the heaviest in five years. The government says data received from 683 districts across India showed 71 per cent districts received either deficient, very deficient or no rainfall at all in June. In Uttar Pradesh, 54 of 75 districts have recorded deficient to extremely deficient rainfall, while six districts have no rainfall. The situation is rather worrying in western Uttar Pradesh, that saw a 62 per cent rainfall deficiency between June 1 and June 29, the highest deficiency since 2014.
