India’s monsoon rains to arrive early, brightening outlook for crops

May 10, 2025 7:55 PM

India’s monsoon rains to arrive early, brightening outlook for crops

Monsoon rains are expected to hit India's southern coast on May 27, five days earlier than usual, marking the earliest arrival in at least five years, the weather office said, raising hopes for bumper harvests of crops such as rice, corn, and soybean.   The monsoon, the lifeblood of the country's $4 trillion economy, delivers nearly 70% of the rain that India needs to water farms and recharge aquifers and reservoirs. Nearly half of India's farmland, without any irrigation cover, depends on th...

India’s monsoon begins to retreat after delivering surplus rains

September 23, 2024 4:44 PM

India’s monsoon begins to retreat after delivering surplus rains

India's monsoon rains started retreating from the northwest of the country on Monday, nearly a week later than normal, India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in a statement. India's annual monsoon provides almost 70% of the rain it needs to water farms and replenish reservoirs and aquifers and is the lifeblood of a nearly $3.5-trillion economy. Without irrigation, nearly half of Indian farmland depends on the rains that usually run from June to September. The monsoon generally begins in Ju...