The depression that is expected to form over the Andaman Sea this month will aid monsoon advancement and help the June to September rain-bearing system, which is the lifeblood of India’s economy, arrive in Kerala around June 1, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

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, according to Ananda Kumar Das, who is in charge of IMD’s cyclone monitoring. This, he added, indicates that a monsoon surge will occur soon. “The depression will aid in the formation of cross-equatorial flow.” The formation of the depression will also help in the long run.

The monsoon brings about 70% of India’s annual rainfall, arriving in Kerala around June 1 and covering the rest of India by mid-July. The importance of a normal monsoon cannot be overstated. Half of all Indians rely on farm income. Irrigation is unavailable to nearly 40% of India’s net-sown area. Summer crops, which are dependent on the monsoon, account for half of India’s farm output.

For good farm output, rains must be plentiful and evenly distributed across states, as global food prices have reached new highs due to a shortage caused by the Ukraine conflict. Farm yields, output, and income are all affected by a poor monsoon. It increases India’s reliance on imported food. A good monsoon will help to keep food inflation in check by increasing domestic output.

In March 2022, food inflation reached 7.7%, the highest level since November 2020. Vegetable prices increased by 10.6 percent, while oil and fat prices increased by 20.7 percent. Wheat prices have risen dramatically as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

When it comes to sowing key crops like rice, sugar, cotton, coarse cereals, and others in the summer, millions of farmers rely on the monsoon.