Monsoon rains 49% below average in past week

New Delhi: India’s monsoon rains were 49% below average in the week that ended on 4 July, widening the gap of an 18% shortfall in the previous week, data from the weather office showed on Thursday.

But the rains revived over cane, oilseeds and cotton areas of India’s western region, officials at the India Meteorological Department said.

Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar said on Tuesday the monsoon should improve this week, allaying concerns that the progress of the stalled four-month long rain would hit the sowing of some summer crops.