Ls Rathore

The monsoon may start to retreat from first week of September or may be early next week, Indian Meteorological Department's chief LS Rathore told NDTV, even as the countrywide rain deficit grew to 12 per cent for the season.

India's monsoon rains in June to September are likely to be 85 per cent of the long-period average.

Monsoon, the life-line of Indian agriculture, today covered the entire country but the rains are still deficient by 23 per cent, a top official of India Meteorological Department said. The south-west monsoon had hit Kerala on June 5, but made slow progress affecting sowing of major Kharif crops such as paddy, pulses and coarse cereals.

Monsoon, the lifeline of Indian agriculture, is most likely to hit Kerala by June 5 and there is no room for concern over sowing of kharif (summer) crops like paddy and pulses, a top India Meteorological Department (IMD) official said."Most likely, the southwest monsoon will reach Kerala by June 5," IMD Director General LS Rathore told PTI.

The monsoon may start to retreat from first week of September or may be early next week, Indian Meteorological Department's chief LS Rathore told NDTV, even as the countrywide rain deficit grew to 12 per cent for the season.

India's monsoon rains in June to September are likely to be 85 per cent of the long-period average.

Monsoon, the life-line of Indian agriculture, today covered the entire country but the rains are still deficient by 23 per cent, a top official of India Meteorological Department said. The south-west monsoon had hit Kerala on June 5, but made slow progress affecting sowing of major Kharif crops such as paddy, pulses and coarse cereals.

Monsoon, the lifeline of Indian agriculture, is most likely to hit Kerala by June 5 and there is no room for concern over sowing of kharif (summer) crops like paddy and pulses, a top India Meteorological Department (IMD) official said."Most likely, the southwest monsoon will reach Kerala by June 5," IMD Director General LS Rathore told PTI.