Monsoon covers India a day late; July rains revive kharif sowing hopes
The southwest monsoon had covered the entire country as on 9 July after a delayed onset and weak June rainfall. The IMD has warned of heavy rain, flash floods and landslides in parts of northern India.
NEW DELHI: The southwest monsoon has finally swept across the entire country, reaching full coverage on Wednesday—one day later than its normal completion date—after a season marked by a delayed onset and uneven rainfall that has slowed kharif sowing.
The monsoon covered the entire country on 9 July, a day later than the normal date of 8 July, after making landfall over the Kerala coast on 4 June, three days behind schedule.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the monsoon completed its nationwide advance on 9 July, compared with 27 June last year. The last time the monsoon took longer to cover the country after its onset over Kerala was in 2021, when it reached the Kerala coast on 3 June and covered the entire country on 13 July.
The delayed advance comes in a year when the IMD has forecast below-normal rainfall, with the southwest monsoon expected to be 90% of the long-period average (LPA) during the June-September season. The southwest monsoon is critical to India's economy and agriculture, contributing roughly 70% of the country's annual rainfall.
A weak June has already weighed on the kharif season. Crops have been sown over 35.08 million hectares as of 3 July, about 9.2 million hectares less than during the corresponding period last year, after deficient rainfall through much of June.
Agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday expressed confidence that kharif sowing will gather pace as the monsoon has strengthened in July. He said that after recording a 33% rainfall deficit in June, the overall shortfall has narrowed to 24% following recent widespread showers. The improved rainfall has also reduced the number of rainfall-deficient districts from 262 to 178, raising hopes of a faster pace of sowing in the coming weeks.
Even as rainfall has picked up in some regions, the IMD warned of isolated extremely heavy rainfall over Uttarakhand on 10 July under the influence of a well-marked low-pressure area over southwest Uttar Pradesh and adjoining regions.
At the same time, rainfall activity is expected to decline across central India, including Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, from 9 July, and over south peninsular India from 10 July.
The weather office has also issued a low to moderate flash flood risk for parts of Uttarakhand, including Pauri Garhwal, Chamoli, Pithoragarh, Bageshwar, Almora, Champawat and Nainital districts, warning of surface runoff and inundation in low-lying areas. It has also flagged the possibility of landslides in vulnerable districts of Himachal Pradesh, including Spiti, Kinnaur, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla and Sirmaur, advising residents to avoid landslide-prone areas and maintain a safe distance from rivers and other water bodies.
About the Author
Vijay C. Roy is a journalist with over 21 years of experience covering various news beats across different organisations such as Business Standard and The Tribune. In the past, he has covered beats such as finance, auto, MSME, commodities, FMCG, pharmaceutical, agriculture, IT/ITES, infrastructure and start-ups. He joined Mint in February 2025, and covers agriculture, food processing, fertilizers, environment and climate change, bringing over two decades of experience reporting on farm policy, food inflation, crop trade, and rural livelihoods.<br><br>Vijay’s areas of reporting include food security and climate change policies, focusing on their impact on different stakeholders and their implications. His expertise lies in simplifying complex agri-economic issues such as edible oil import dependence, cotton and wheat trends, fertiliser subsidies, and climate-related risks. He has covered key developments including global supply disruptions and evolving trade policies, offering both macroeconomic perspective and field-level context. Known for his credible and balanced reporting, he follows a rigorous, fact-based approach that prioritises accuracy and context. He is driven by a commitment to public interest, aiming to make critical agricultural and economic issues accessible while contributing to informed policy and industry discussions.
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