New Delhi: IMD indicated its forecast that the monsoon rainfall is likely to be above normal for rain-fed agriculture regions, bringing a big relief keeping in mind high inflation and country agriculture driven economy.

IMD Presented its second stage long-range forecast for monsoon on Tuesday. It upgraded the forecast for rainfall during June-September season from an earlier 99% average to 103%. Monsoon rainfall in India is likely to be above normal in Central India (over 106% of LPA) and Southern Peninsula (over 106% of LPA). It is likely to be normal over Northeast India (96-106% of LPA) and Northwest India (96-106% of LPA). The LPA (Long Period Average) is 87 mm based on the average rain for the 1971-2020 period.

As per the IMD sources, the Southwest monsoon seasonal rainfall over the monsoon core zone, which consists of most of the rain-fed agriculture regions is most also likely to be above normal at over 106% of LPA, it said. We have increased the quantum of rainfall likely to be received during monsoon because projections are showing that La Nina conditions will continue till the end of monsoon.

La Nina conditions will support normal rains, which may be countered a little due to development of negative Indian Ocean Dipole conditions over the Indian Ocean, said M Mohapatra, DG, IMD.