Rain Deficit may hit hard Indian Economy in 2009

Just when it seemed that the worst of economic recession is finishing in America, Europe and in Japan, there is bad news for Indian economy. Rainy season is gradually finishing but still there is not enough rain for the farmers. As a result, the farmers have been suffering a lot and if it results into agricultural output fall then it will hurt the Indian economy badly. Most people in the country depend on agriculture for their livelihood.

Reuters reported:

India's monsoon rains have been 29 percent below normal since the beginning of the June-September season, hurting crops such as rice and cane and triggering a sharp rise in food prices in India and sugar futures abroad.

The monsoon is vital for India's summer-sown crops because most farmers do not have access to irrigation facilities.

"We are staring at the prospect of an impending drought," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told a meeting of environment ministers of Indian states.

Rains have returned in the past few days, particularly in cane-producing Uttar Pradesh, where the local government has declared a drought in most districts. But this has not eased the concerns of top national officials, who only in recent days began to characterise the countrywide situation as a drought.

Well, one of the problems will be that India is one of the largest producers of agricultural products like rice, wheat and sugar. Any shortfall of production in the country can push prices up in the international market next year. Here, I like to remind the readers that before the economic recession started, prices of agricultural commodities increased sharply.

Monsoon Rain of 2009 can Hurt Indian Economy

In the last few days, I wrote in this blog that Monsoon rain has not yet come to Bangladesh and Nepal and as a result people are suffering a lot. In India, it has come but this time, rainfall is much lower compared to normal average. As a result, the people are worried. In fact, low rainfall can indeed hurt the Indian economy a lot.

India is a country where most people are still dependent on agriculture for their livelihood. Bad rainfall means that the farmers will have less water for their cultivation. This is a curse for most of the farmers. However, don’t think that it is only the rural farmers who would suffer only. The city dwellers are also worried as if this condition continues then they will have water shortage in their daily life too.

Monsoon Rain Come Soon: Please!

I have been suffering from the hot weather for the last one weak and I have become weak and sick. Today was 21 June 2009 and rainy season in Bangladesh according to calendar has started a week ago. However, still there is no rain. I was taking a look at the weather forecast of BBC and it showed that this week, everyday should be full of “Heavy Rain Shower” including today. I hope tomorrow becomes better or may be Tuesday.

I live in one of the most populous cities on earth. Many people living in big cities have no relationship with nature and I am one of them. However, this late coming of rain should remind all of us that nature is alive. I remember very well that just 20-25 years ago, the weather was much more tolerable in my city because there were much more trees in the country.