Early Monsoon Brings Hope for Bumper Harvests in India

India is poised to experience an early onset of the monsoon season, with rains predicted to hit the southern coast on May 27, according to the weather office. This marks the earliest arrival in over five years and may lead to a prosperous harvest of essential crops like rice, corn, and soybean.

The monsoon, a key driver of India's $4 trillion economy, supplies nearly 70% of the rainfall necessary for agricultural activities and for replenishing aquifers and reservoirs. A substantial portion, nearly half, of India's farmland relies on these annual rains from June to September, especially for growing vital crops. Early monsoon predictions could ease current concerns about potential food supply disruptions due to tensions with Pakistan.

Traditionally, the monsoon impacts the southernmost regions of Kerala around June 1, progressively moving across the country by mid-July. The Indian Meteorological Department anticipates a monsoon onset over Kerala by May 27, subject to an error margin of four days. Last year's timely and abundant rainfall helped alleviate the previous year's drought conditions, with predictions indicating a continued trend of above-average rainfall for 2025.

(With inputs from agencies.)