The prospects for an early planting of crops like rice, oilseeds and cotton would likely improve, with the India Meteorological Department saying that monsoon rains would expectedly hit the southern coast of India on May 26, five days ahead of the typically-taken June 1 date for the four-month-long monsoon season! However, the actual onset of the rains could be four days prior or subsequent to the predicted date.

The New Delhi-based weather office added on its Web site that monsoons were anticipated over the Andaman Sea in the coming 2-3 days.  

Though the timely onset of rains helps in the early sowing of the summer crops, the yield-size is largely dependent on the amount of rainfall as well as its distribution across different parts of the country.

Commenting on the effect of timely monsoon on crops in particular and market in general, K.N. Rahaman - deputy head of research at the Way2Wealth Commodities – said: “Timely rains always boost sentiments, be it of the stock market or the economy. Agricultural commodities will see prices dropping in the next few days as sowing will increase on timely rains.”

Moreover, according to D. Sivananda Pai, a director at the weather bureau, the weather office has also predicted a ‘near normal’ monsoon season this year, saying it may be 96 percent of the 50-year average.