India depends on the monsoon season between June and September, which accounts for more than 70% of the annual rainfall. How much rain falls on the economy of India as a whole.

Although heavy rains will have a direct impact on crop yields, farmers' incomes and rural spending, they can equally damage cities. This is due to the fact that the deficit of rains can raise food prices and increase inflation.

Data from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) show that the rainfall was 20% below the average one week before Wednesday. It is 16% below the average since the start of the monsoon season, which officially began on June 1.

“Different crops are sown at certain times to get the best harvest,” says Prahlad Devarhubli, a farmer from the southern Indian state of Karnataka. “If you have not received rains in this particular period, then you should skip sowing this particular crop.”

Due to the delay in rains, Mr. Devarchubli said that this year he missed soybean and cabbage sowing on his farm. Seeds may be too easily destroyed by torrential rains, he explains.

The rainfall during the monsoon in 2018 was below average, and the second problem year will aggravate the situation in the farming community. In recent years, farmers have been struggling with drought and rising costs, and a growing number of debt-burdened farmers committing suicide.

The government promised to double income for farmers by 2022 and announced assistance to the agricultural sector, including the issuance of cash. Although monsoon rates were low last week, IMD data show that the monsoon deficit across the country as a whole has decreased compared to the start of the season.