Data shows rains likely to cause problems for India's kharif crops | Agriculture

The area cultivated under kharif continued to improve in the week ending August 23 as sowing of most crops was almost complete. Data shows that around 106.5 million hectares were sown under kharif crops till August 23 — nearly 2 percent more than the same period last year, but 2.81 percent less than the normal area cultivated (which is the average of the last five years). The good news is that the areas cultivated under arhar, groundnut, soyabean and cotton are more than their five-year average. However, all eyes will be on the weather in the next few weeks as excessive rains in September could inundate fields and cause lodging, adversely affecting the final yield. Till August 27, the southwest monsoon fell 7 percent more than normal, with central and south India recording over 17 percent more rain so far this season. With the onset of La Niña, the rains could get even heavier.