Scarce rains may cut pulse, oilseed yields

Likely deficit rainfall in the second half of the monsoon may impact key kharif crops such as pulses and oilseeds, reducing their yields, if the India Meteorological Department's prediction on El Nino comes true.

- Puja Das

Kharif crops may be hit in the western parts of the country, where irrigation penetration is low, experts said, adding rabi crops may also suffer.

As per the latest forecast by IMD, the Southwest monsoon will be normal at 96% of the long-period average (LPA) with a model error of +/-5%. There is a 35% probability of monsoon being normal, 29% chance of it being below normal, 22% possibility of it being deficient, 11% chance of monsoon being above normal, and only 3% chance of it being excess.

At the same time, it also predicts El Nino conditions to form in July, and to be felt in the second half of the June-September Southwest monsoon season, that is in August and September.