Major rice-producing states, including Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Assam, receive below-normal rainfall so far: Report

The report highlighted that states such as Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, and Assam, which together contributed around 15 per cent of the total Kharif rice production last year, have experienced lower-than-normal rainfall since the beginning of the season.

"Among major rice-producing states, below-normal rainfall was observed in Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, and Assam," the report stated.

Despite the shortfall in these key rice-growing regions, the report highlighted that the monsoon has shown signs of improvement overall.

Among the 36 meteorological subdivisions in the country, 15 subdivisions, accounting for 43 per cent of the total area, have received normal rainfall since June.

Meanwhile, 7 subdivisions, which represent about 13 per cent of the total area, recorded deficient rainfall. The remaining subdivisions saw either large excess or excess rainfall.

While the evenness in the spatial distribution of monsoon rains has reduced, it continues to be a key factor to watch in the coming weeks, the report added.

Interestingly, the South-West monsoon began earlier than usual this year but weakened midway through June. However, it picked up pace towards the end of the month, which helped push the country's overall rainfall into the surplus category.

As of July 7, 2025, India's cumulative rainfall stands at 15 per cent above the Long Period Average (LPA).

Region-wise, North-West and Central India saw a strong monsoon performance, with rainfall levels at 37 per cent and 42 per cent above the LPA, respectively. These favourable conditions have supported sowing activities in states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab, and Haryana.

In contrast, the South Peninsula recorded rainfall at 1 per cent below normal, while the East and North-East regions saw a significant shortfall of 20 per cent.

Despite the uneven rainfall across regions, the report mentioned that the overall increase in sowing activities indicates favourable conditions for agriculture. The report noted that this bodes well for a strong agricultural output for the second consecutive year. (ANI)