Monsoon Revival: Cheer and Misery

The critical Southwest monsoon is lifeblood to India's $2trillion economy and broke over the southern state of Kerala at the start of June. The southwest monsoon that brings approximately 70 percent of the country's annual rain usually sets over Kerala by the end of May or the first week of June marking the onset of the rainy season in India. The monsoon clouds advance over the Andaman Sea normally around the third week of May with a standard deviation of about a week. Good Monsoon is very critical to India's vast rural agriculture and farming sector which is dependent on the rains to irrigate their crops. It is also very important aspect of fueling the economy

This year the monsoon has entered a raging phase and soaked up the dry fields in the Central and Western India and has filled up the depleted reservoirs. However, nonstop showers have not only swamped farms and plantations in the south but have caused major devastation in the state of Kerala. Incessant rains have caused the reservoirs to swell beyond capacity and as a result the dams had to be opened which has inundated almost all areas of Kerala. Though it has brought much sought relief to the rain starved soya bean farmers of Central India but it has brought unimaginable misery for the people of Kerala. Kerala had not witnessed such kind of worst deluge in almost a century and the state's prized cardamom plantation and other plantations like the rubber, coffee and spices now stand submerged in water. Not only has it brought about severe destruction in agriculture but people have been rendered homeless and the death toll has risen to 200.

By: Madhuchanda  Saxena

Content: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/agriculture/monsoon-revival-brings-mix-of-misery-cheer-for-farmers/articleshow/65416593.cms