NEW DELHI: Southwest (summer) monsoon covered the entire country by advancing into remaining parts of Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab on Thursday, one day after the normal date (July 8) of covering entire India, said IMD.It took 36 days for the monsoon to cover the entire country after making a three-day delayed onset over Kerala on June 4. Normally, the monsoon covers the entire India in 38 days (June 1-July 8). It usually starts retreating from northwest India around Sept 17 and fully withdraws by Oct 15.Early/delayed onset or early/delayed coverage, however, doesn’t impact quantitative or spatial aspects of rainfall during the four-month monsoon season. But it certainly guides the progress of kharif (summer sown) crops sowing operations and choice of crops as farmers have to take calls on the basis of the irrigation cycle a crop may need.Backed by good rains in the past eight days, the monsoon, meanwhile, reduced its overall nationwide cumulative (June 1-July 9) deficit from 40% on June 30 to 14% on Thursday. Its skewed distribution, however, throws up a different challenge, with 10 states such as Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Punjab, Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Goa still reporting big deficits.As a result, sowing operations remained sluggish in these states, affecting the overall acreage. Data available till July 6 shows that the acreage of Kharif crops was reported 21% down compared to the corresponding period last year, with paddy, pulses, oilseeds, millets and cotton reporting a decline in sown area compared to 2025.The current respite from the low phase of monsoon is likely to be short-lived in certain parts of the country as the Met department on Thursday predicted “significant reduction in rainfall activity” over central India, including Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, and south peninsular India in the coming days.Its impact is likely to be felt in the ‘monsoon core zone’ — the rain-fed area which largely depends on monsoon rains for farming operations.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.About the AuthorVishwa MohanVishwa Mohan is Senior Editor at The Times of India. He writes on environment, climate change, agriculture, water resources and clean energy, tracking policy issues and climate diplomacy. He has been covering Parliament since 2003 to see how politics shaped up domestic policy and India’s position at global platform. Before switching over to explore sustainable development issues, Vishwa had covered internal security and investigative agencies for more than a decade.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosTensions In MVA As Sanjay Raut Slams Sharad Pawar For Holding Meeting At Eknath Shinde’s OfficeIndia, Myanmar Review Border Security, Intelligence Sharing’Hit With Iron Rod’: Bengaluru PT Teacher Booked After Allegedly Beating 12-Year-Old To DeathIndian Railways Clarifies Digital Ticket Rules: Only Original Rail One App Ticket Will Be AcceptedIndia and Australia Finalise Uranium Export Arrangement Under Civil Nuclear AgreementUGC-NET Under Scanner After Alleged Paper Leak; Education Ministry Seeks NTA InvestigationDRDO Successfully Tests Pinaka Long-Range Guided Rocket; Hits Target With Pinpoint AccuracyBuilding Collapses In Delhi’s Rohini; 1 Dead, Several Trapped; Rescue Ops UnderwayPune Building Buried Under Collapsing Garbage Mound, 16 Feared Trapped Amid Heavy Rain FuryShiv Sena Corporator Ramesh Mhatre Arrested In KDMC Doctors’ Assault Case: Police123PhotostoriesFeeling better isn’t a reason to stop antibiotics: Doctor warns the habit is fueling the rise of deadly superbugsShould you apply coconut oil before or after washing your hair? Experts finally settle the debate10 international baby names that work across different culturesAamir Khan’s rare ruby wedding ring for Gauri Spratt took 256 hours and 131 artisans to createPowerful life lessons Japanese parents teach their children that the rest of the world can learn fromClear your bowels naturally every morning with these 10 foodsReal Madrid star Kylian Mbappé’s ₹120 crore mansion in Spain features 8 bedrooms, 11 bathrooms and a private golf areaWant to leave a lasting impression? Start with these everyday habits attractive women swear by”Eat this before your meal”: Sadhguru recommends eating a simple food combination before every meal; recipe and benefits insideJanhvi Kapoor trades her ethereal Apsara saree for a regal midnight blue Mayyur Girotra kalidar at Anshula Kapoor’s wedding reception123Hot PicksIndia-AustraliaTiesOmar AbdullahNew EPFO portalMahadev AppNET paper leakMonsoon trackerStock market todayStrait of HormuzAP DEECET rank cardTop TrendingCrude oilRamesh MhatreUS Section 301FIFA World Cup 2026India u19 vs Sri Lanka U19Andhra Hospital MurderWeather todayDelhi NCR rainBihar BDO Wife MurderIran war
NEW DELHI: Southwest (summer) monsoon covered the entire country by advancing into remaining parts of Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab on Thursday, one day after the normal date (July 8) of covering entire India, said IMD.It took 36 days for the monsoon to cover the entire country after making a three-day delayed onset over Kerala on…
