More Rainfall Needed in South India

Hyderabad. Although the Northeast monsoon has been active over South India since October 16—bringing significant rainfall to states like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry, and providing some relief to Kharif crops from drought—agricultural experts state that the southern peninsula requires further rainfall.

During the preceding Southwest monsoon season, these states experienced rainfall well below the long-term average, accompanied by high temperatures, which led to a depletion of soil moisture. This hindered both the sowing and the subsequent development of Kharif crops.

Large parts of Karnataka and Maharashtra have already been declared drought-affected. These regions are major producers of crops such as pigeon pea (tur), sugarcane, cotton, and soybean, all of which are now at risk of significant damage due to the drought. Furthermore, the lack of soil moisture is expected to cause substantial delays in the sowing of Rabi crops.

While recent rainfall has brought some improvement to the situation in the southern states, the drought conditions in Maharashtra remain a cause for concern. In contrast, the situation in North India is relatively better, with the sowing of Rabi crops having commenced on schedule.