The Hindu Business Line : Extended monsoon seen aiding rabi crop

LOWER temperature levels being heralded by an extended Southwest monsoon will benefit the winter crop, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Wheat and mustard are among the country's largest winter-sown crops.

"Low temperatures and raised moisture levels are what farmers need for ensuring themselves a good rabi. The ongoing rain activity powered by the Bay of Bengal system will yield just that," Dr M. Rajeevan, Director-Forecasting, India Meteorological Department (IMD), told Business Line. A good rabi crop also presupposes a none-too-intense rainfall regime.

This is what the current weather conditions offer to generate, since prevailing wind flows have resulted in the advection/transport of some moisture to the North and the Northwest.

These regions can also expect to receive widespread but less than intense rainfall from the western disturbances that traverse the country during winter months.

Crop conditions: According to crop watchers, the soyabean crop could do with some badly needed rains as drier than normal weather has created less than ideal conditions in most growing areas. The crop outlook for winter wheat indicated a need for more rainfall as monsoon moisture is below average. As for sugarcane, the moisture is mostly confined to the eastern growing areas.

Locations in the South and the West are also in need of rains, which they are getting lately. Drier than normal weather has made conditions difficult for rapeseed, rice and cotton also.

Answering a separate question, Dr Rajeevan said cyclone activity in the Arabian Sea would have come to a stop by now. Not many systems form during this season over the Southwestern seas.

At the most, one such system is what meteorologists could possibly look forward to from these seas during the rest of the season.

Northeast monsoon: It is very difficult to differentiate the withdrawal of the Southwest monsoon from the onset of Northeast monsoon, according to Dr Rajeevan.

Both may take place simultaneously. Normally, the Northeast monsoon onset is declared after October 15. By that time, withdrawal of the Southwest monsoon would have been declared from most parts of the country.

Apart from Kerala and Tamil Nadu, other regions that receive Northeast monsoon precipitation are South and North Karnataka, Coastal Karnataka, Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra.

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