India's monsoon rains were one percent above normal in the week to Sept. 14, weakening from 39 percent above average in the previous week, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday, easing concerns heavy rains could damage planted crops.Withdrawal of the June to September monsoon could now happen after Sept. 25, a source at the IMD said.
"Heavy rains in some pockets of the eastern region resulted in floods but now things have settled down," said the source.
"There is no sign of the withdrawal of the monsoon as yet," said B.P. Yadav, director of forecasting at the weather office.
The monsoon rains have so far been three percent above long-term averages since the start of the season, in line with the weather office's latest forecast of a normal monsoon in 2011, which means rains of 96 to 104 percent of a long-term average.
India's monsoon rains are crucial to crop production in 60 percent of the country that does not have adequate irrigation.
Normal rains so far over major crop producing regions have helped planting of summer crops like rice, cane and oilseeds, and boosted prospects for their output.
Output of summer-planted grains is expected at 123.88 million tonnes, Farm Minister Sharad Pawar said on Wednesday, releasing the first of the four forecasts for the 2011/12 crop year.
"Heavy rains in some pockets of the eastern region resulted in floods but now things have settled down," said the source.
"There is no sign of the withdrawal of the monsoon as yet," said B.P. Yadav, director of forecasting at the weather office.
The monsoon rains have so far been three percent above long-term averages since the start of the season, in line with the weather office's latest forecast of a normal monsoon in 2011, which means rains of 96 to 104 percent of a long-term average.
India's monsoon rains are crucial to crop production in 60 percent of the country that does not have adequate irrigation.
Normal rains so far over major crop producing regions have helped planting of summer crops like rice, cane and oilseeds, and boosted prospects for their output.
Output of summer-planted grains is expected at 123.88 million tonnes, Farm Minister Sharad Pawar said on Wednesday, releasing the first of the four forecasts for the 2011/12 crop year.