It didn't last long. Last week we celebrated how rain had returned to India after its lowest rainfall month in 12 years, which caused severe water rationing in the Asian country. However, it wasn't enough, as the lagging monsoon isn't compensating as much or as early as expected.
As such, India has recorded an exceptionally dry start to the monsoon season. June rainfall was 39.8% below the long-term average, making it the country's fifth-driest June since records began in 1901 and the driest in more than a decade. As reported, the weak monsoon is impacting farming and water security, with key summer crops such as rice, corn, cotton, and soybeans seeing its planting slowed. As also pointed out in our previous reports, nearly half of India's farmland lacks irrigation and around half its massive population depends on agriculture.
However, July starts tomorrow and the seventh month may not bring enough relief. India's weather department expects rainfall to remain below average (at less than 94% of the period's), while El Niño is expected to strengthen in the coming months, thus further weighing on monsoon rains, which consequently raises concerns over crop output and economic growth in the country.
Sources: 1, 2.