The level of surplus rainfall in India shrank below 7.5 percent for the first time in 10 days, as states in northern and eastern parts of the country witnessed a widening deficit.

Although the number of states experiencing deficient rainfall conditions with precipitation over 20 percent below normal remained unchanged at seven, the deficit widened in states like Bihar, Manipur and Nagaland.

Manipur has the highest rainfall deficit among states at 31 percent, followed by Nagaland at 30 percent. Bihar’s deficit widened to 26 percent on September 18 compared with 25 percent the previous day. Punjab continued to witness 26 percent rainfall deficit.

Better monsoon prospects have ensured that kharif sowing increased to 109.7 million hectares higher than the last five-year average.

Kharif sowing was 0.1 percent above normal acreage and 2.2 percent higher than the 2023 coverage as of September 17.

Paddy sowing was 2.1 percent higher at 41 million compared with the previous five years but 6.1 percent lower for pulses at 12.8 million hectares.

Oilseeds and coarse cereals acreage was also higher than the normal, which bodes well for price pressures.

On the other hand, among the cash crops, sowing of jute and cotton was down over 10 percent from the five-year average.

The reservoir levels in Punjab have been 57 percent below average, while the water level capacity in Bihar is 10 percent below average.

Reservoir level capacity remained unchanged at 18 percent above normal as of September 12, according to data released by the Central Water Commission.

The reservoir capacity in southern India was the highest among all regions at 35 percent, followed by western India at 23 percent.