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Delayed rains threaten India’s economic recovery

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Delayed declining rains threaten much of India’s agriculture and threaten the economic recovery of the coronavirus.

Farmers in the fertile northern and central regions such as Punjab, Haryana and parts of Madhya Pradesh are still waiting for the sudden flooding in the Indian subcontinent.

“The seeds are like a respite from the hospital because of the lack of rain,” said Kedar Sirohi, leader of the Aam Kisan Union, or Common Farmers’ Union, in Madhya Pradesh.

He said farmers in his district, where irrigation is scarce, had planted soybeans, cotton, sorghum and pulse about three weeks ago but their seedlings were withering. “We want good rain within four or five days, or we will lose 30 to 40% of our harvest,” he added.

Half of India’s 1.4bn people depend on agriculture, which makes rainfall not only for their livelihood but also for their livelihood. Predicting the first rainy season, which runs from June to September, was a bright spot in a country that is suffering from the second dangerous wave of the plague.

When the economy hit 7.3% in 2020, the IMF decided in April to increase 12.5% ​​this year. But predictions have been fulfilled he shoots back hard since Covid’s departure.

Although some parts of the country received moderate or heavy rainfall, parts of western and northern India remained dry. Punjab, one of the world’s leading producers of rice and other foods, receives little or no rain.

India’s meteorological department is expecting heavy rains soon. But Giriraj Amarnath, a researcher at the International Water Management Institute, said further delays would result in lower yields.

“This will also affect the economy,” he said. “Manufacturing, raising prices and exporting these crops. . . will fly away from there through an important group. ”

The typhoon supplies more than two-thirds of India’s rainfall. Less than 40% of India’s agricultural fields have been irrigated since 2015, the latest figures, according to the World Bank, leaving the crop dependent on rainfall.

“It’s a difficult time for farmers,” admitted Ajay Vir Jakhar, chairman of the Bharat Krishak Samaj, or the Indian Farmers Forum. He estimated that the storm lasted a week late to 10 days.

“Irrigation water cannot pay for all the rainfall,” he said, adding that farmers could plant fewer crops.

“You want moisture in the soil and air. It’s the whole universe. When water comes down from the sky, it helps the plants in a different way than it does on the ground. ”

Scientists warn that climate change is destroying hurricanes, affecting hundreds of millions of people who depend on them. Indian government research shows that the risk factors for such catastrophic floods as floods and floods, as well as drought, are on the rise.

This puts South Asia “at greater risk than other parts of the world”, said Avantika Goswami at the non-profit Center for Science and Environment.

The good rainy season last year was crucial for India to survive a summary of history which followed the closure for several months.

The abundant harvest provided employment for the migrants who were laid off in the cities and forbade drinking anything motorcycles for consumers.

Seasonal Growth

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