Well-distributed monsoon with above normal rainfall this year to be highly productive for farm sector

There has been nearly 3x more than normal rainfall in India so far after monsoon arrived on May 24, the earliest since 2009

The above normal rainfall and well distributed monsoon rains this year is seen to be highly productive for the country amid the government’s target of achieving 3.5 per cent growth rate in the agriculture and allied sector.

“No doubt above normal monsoon will be a boon for rice crop while it would be equally bountiful for pulses, oilseeds and millets crops in rainfed areas,” said J S Sandhu, former agriculture commissioner, adding well distributed monsoon rains will be highly productive.

However, Sandhu cautioned that in case of excessive rains or long dry spells, in both situations the crops’ yield will be hurt. “The IMD should also work on predicting these two aspects for better management of crops,” he suggested. The weather bureau has predicted 106 per cent of long period average of 86 cm in this monsoon season.

Many experts said that the realisation of quantitative rainfall for the four-month monsoon season, as predicted by India Meteorological Department (IMD), may not be a problem even for Saurashtra and Kutch region of Gujarat at more that 119 per cent of its long period average (LPA) of 54 cm, the highest for any meteorological subdivision, if the monthly distribution evenly spreads out.

Percentage of higher or lower rainfall than LPA will have to be read with actual quantity of rainfall received and there is wide variation among states on this,” said M Ravichandran, earth sciences secretary. He cited the example of the seasonal normal rainfall in Kerala at 201.86 cm as against 43.98 cm in Punjab.

The weather bureau has said the average rainfall for the country as a whole during June is most likely to be above normal, quantitatively more than 108 per cent of the LPA of 16.54 cm. There is no prediction about July, August, September, which IMD releases before start of every month.

The monsoon has covered entire Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Goa and most parts of Telangana. It has also covered many parts of Maharashtra, some parts of Chhattisgarh and Odisha, and in many places it has reached 12 days earlier than normal. The monsoon season will begin from June 1, but there has been nearly three-times more than normal rainfall in the country as a whole, so far after it arrived on May 24, the earliest since 2009.

According to Sanjiv Kanwar, Managing Director of Yara South Asia, a crop nutrient manufacturer, the early onset of the 2025 monsoon, offers farmers a valuable opportunity to accelerate sowing of key kharif crops like paddy, maize, cotton, soybean and sugarcane, especially in rainfed regions where timing is very crucial.

“Timely and abundant rains can improve yields, farm incomes, and overall food security in 2025-26, particularly after last year’s erratic weather patterns. However, nutrient management must evolve in parallel to truly capitalise on this potential. We strongly advocate a science-based approach — soil testing, balanced NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus and potash) application, and split nutrient delivery to mitigate leaching risks from heavier rains,” Kanwar said in a statement.

He further said that incorporating organic inputs can build soil resilience while adding that it is an opportunity to embed precision agriculture and climate-smart practices into the heart of Indian farming.