India Reiterates Ample Monsoon Rain Forecast in Boost to Crops
- Showers during June-September season seen 106% of average
- Good precipitation to spur farm production and economic growth
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India maintained its prediction for an above-normal monsoon, boosting prospects for crops such as rice, soybeans and cotton in a country where rain is the main source of irrigation for almost half of the farmland.
Precipitation in the June-September season is likely to be 106% of a long-term average, Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director general of the India Meteorological Department, said at a press briefing in New Delhi Monday. The latest forecast, which matched its projection in April, has a margin of error of 4%, he said.