Here is some good news from those seeking relief from the sweltering heat. The depression likely to form on May 6 over the South Andaman Sea will support monsoon advancement and help the June to September rain-bearing system known as the lifeblood of India’s economy arrive around the normal time in Kerala around June 1, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday. 

The IMD’s incharge of cyclones monitoring, Ananda Kumar Das, cited satellite imagery and said the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), which appears as a band of clouds encircling the globe near the equator and is responsible for the wet and dry seasons in the tropics, is very active. This indicates a monsoon surge will be established soon, he added. 

“The depression will help establish the cross-equatorial flow. The formation of the depression will eventu3+6*A/[ally also help monsoon arrive around the normal time over Kerala around June 1 with an error margin of +/-5 days,” Das told Hindustan Times. 

The southwest monsoon season which usually arrives in Kerala around June 1 and covers the rest of the country by July is crucial for agricultural activities. Nearly 60% of India’s net arable land lacks irrigation. 

The southwest monsoon delivers about 70% of India’s annual rainfall. It determines the yield of several grains and pulses, including rice, wheat, and sugarcane. Agriculture still holds around 15% of the economy, and employs millions of people.

Also Read: Here’s how to keep food safe and clean during monsoons

This year especially a good monsoon is crucial as food prices have hit record highs due to a shortage amid the crisis in Ukraine

Food inflation soared to 7.7% in March 2022, the highest since November 2020. The prices of vegetables (10.6%) and oil and fats (20.7%) grew in double digits. Wheat prices have jumped substantially because of the crisis in Ukraine.

Last month, the IMD said monsoon is likely to be “normal” at 99% of the long period average (LPA) with an error margin of +/-5%. It will be the fourth consecutive “normal” or “above normal” monsoon.