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Erratic Monsoon Drags Paddy Sowing Lower In India

Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, West Bengal—that contribute over 40% to India's rice output—have received lower-than-normal rains.

<div class="paragraphs"><p>A labourer plants paddy saplings in a field on the outskirts of the northern Indian city of Amritsar. (Source: REUTERS/Munish Sharma)<br></p></div>
A labourer plants paddy saplings in a field on the outskirts of the northern Indian city of Amritsar. (Source: REUTERS/Munish Sharma)

Even as several parts of India are inundated after incessant rains, area under the rice crop is lower than last year as monsoon remains deficient over the Gangetic plains.

Paddy was sown across 128.5 lakh hectares across the country as on July 15, according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare. That's 17.4% less than the area sown under paddy at the same time last year.

India's southwest monsoon, which waters more than half of the country's farmlands, have so far been uneven. The country had an 8% lower rainfall than the long-term average in June but have since picked up. By July 15, India received 335.2 milimetres of cumulative rainfall—14% higher than normal.

Despite the pickup, the distribution of rains remains lopsided. States like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, West Bengal—that contribute over 40% to India's rice output—have received lower-than-normal rains.

<div class="paragraphs"><p><a href="https://mausam.imd.gov.in/imd_latest/contents/index_rainfall_subdiv.php?msg=C">Click here</a> to access an interactive version of the chart.</p></div>

Click here to access an interactive version of the chart.

Sowing of most other kharif crops like pulses, cereals and oilseeds have seen an increase over last year, benefitting from the higher rainfall in July. Overall, kharif sowing so far in 2022 is 0.14% higher than last year.

The country's Crop Weather Watch Group, a part of the agriculture ministry, in its meeting last week said it expects paddy acreage to rise.

That's mainly due to improving rainfall, increasing water reservoir levels and perennial rivers flowing through the region, according to Rahul Bajoria, chief India economist at Barclays.

"The pickup in rainfall has also helped boost reservoir storage levels over the past week," Bajoria wrote in a research note. "We expect sowing activity to pick up significantly in the coming weeks, as rainfall strengthens and we enter the critical stage of sowing season."