With the patchy nature and shortfall of rains during the Southwest Monsoon this year especially over south peninsular India, the production of various crops and spices over the region has suffered a major shortfall. And keeping the forecast of Northeast Monsoon in play the future looks absolutely worrisome for a lot of farmers in the region.
Crops like Pepper, Cardamom, Rubber, Tea, Coffee are to name a few plantation crop that are highly dependent on the monsoon rainfall. Too much rain injures the crops whereas shortfall of rain affects the volume of the production.
Kerala was one of the most deterred and less fortunate states where rainfall was very scanty throughout the Southwest Monsoon; 34% below the usual rainfall. And the similar dry spell in continuing over the state in Northeast Monsoon. From the time period of October 1 to November 2, the deficit was at a staggering 61%.
Similar is the case with states like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. These states have are at present Rayalaseema and Tamil Nadu have received the major rainfall activity. R Sanjith from United Planters’ Association of Southern India (UPASI) Commodities head said, “There is a huge deficit in tea production in south India due to erratic weather pattern and reports suggest that coffee production will also be lower in the coming crop season. Pepper is a crop that is more sensitive to rain and likely to impacted.”
Image Credit: atimes.com
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