India: India Southwest Monsoon Update - July 2021

On August 2, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issued its Long-Range Forecast for rainfall during the second half (August-September) of the 2021 Southwest Monsoon. The rainfall over the country during the second half of the season is likely to be normal between 95 to 105 percent of the long period average (LPA). The cumulative rainfall for the Southwest Monsoon 2021 as of July 31, 2021, was one percent below normal. Deficit rains during last two weeks of June delayed planting in southern India, which was compensated by excess rains in July. However, overall pace of kharif crop planting is five percent lower than last year, but still one percent above the five-year average.