MUMBAI – India had its driest June in five years due to a delay in monsoon rains, the weather department said late on Sunday, raising fears for crops and the broader economy.
Overall, rains were a third below average, although in some states, including the sugar cane growing northern state of Uttar Pradesh, they were as much as 61 percent down, data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) showed.
Over half of India’s arable land relies on rainfall, while agriculture makes up about 15% of Asia’s third-largest economy, which is already suffering a slowdown.
The monsoon usually covers nearly the entire country by July 1, but has covered less than two-thirds so far this year, according to the IMD data. (Reuters)
