NOIDA, India: The early arrival of the annual monsoon season in India has brought relief to some farmers – but devastation to others.
While the rains come as a welcome respite after months of searing heat, it has highlighted how increasingly erratic weather patterns are complicating the country’s agricultural outlook.
The monsoon, the lifeblood of India’s nearly US$4 trillion economy, delivers almost 70 per cent of the rainfall needed to water farms and replenish aquifers and reservoirs.
For rice farmer Tejpal Chauhan, whose fields lie on the outskirts of New Delhi, it could mean a bumper year of harvest.
The staple crop requires prolonged flooding, and this year’s early showers have allowed farmers like him to save significantly on water, fuel, and labour while reaping better profits.
“If the monsoon is good, like it has been, I can make an additional 40 to 50,000 rupees (US$467 to 583), which is excellent,” Chauhan told CNA.
“The yield will also be a lot better without spending more on fertilisers. For paddy, more rain is better.”
