Southwest Monsoon and Indian Agriculture
The southwest monsoon (June to September) is India's primary source of rainfall, contributing approximately 75% of annual precipitation. More than half of India's net sown area remains unirrigated, making kharif crop production directly and critically dependent on monsoon performance.
- Kharif crops are sown at the onset of the monsoon (June-July) and harvested in autumn (September-October). Major kharif crops include paddy, maize, cotton, soybean, arhar (pigeon pea), urad, moong, bajra, and jowar.
- Agriculture contributes 15–18% of India's GDP and employs roughly 46–50% of the workforce, making monsoon performance a macroeconomic variable.
- A 10% shortfall in kharif production can translate into significant food price inflation; historical data shows more than three-fourths of episodes of double-digit food inflation in India have followed drought or near-drought years.
- The India Meteorological Department (IMD) seasonal forecast (long range forecast) is issued every April for the June-September season and is updated in June — critical for kharif planning.
● Tracked since April 19, 2026 · last seen July 01, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
See it in today’s brief.
Daily current affairs with every static concept explained in place.
Read the daily brief