The news is bad for Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. The South-West monsoon could be delayed or below normal.
Ahead of an official Indian Meteorological Department forecast, Food minister K V Thomas on Friday said in New Delhi: “We have an assessment of monsoon. Monsoon will be quite satisfactory in India except the southern tip — Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. Monsoon rains in these states may be delayed or could be less than the normal level.”
Earlier in the day, Earth Sciences and Science and Technology Minister S Jaipal Reddy had said the country was expected to have normal monsoon this year with overall rainfall of 98 per cent.
“I have good news for farmers. As per the Indian Meteorological Department’s long range forecast, this year South-West monsoon is likely to be normal,” Reddy said in Delhi.