WEATHER REVIEW: During the week ended August 18, the southwest monsoon was vigorous in Bihar plains, east UP and Punjab and active in Arunachal Pradesh, sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim and Gangetic West Bengal on some days. Rainfall also occurred at most places in Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and at most places in Himachal Pradesh, plains of west UP, Bihar plateau, Orissa, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema, Tamil Nadu and coastal Karnataka. Rainfall occurred at few and isolated places in the rest regions of the country.

SEASON'S REVIEW: All meteorological sub-divisions of the country received rainfall in the monsoon season till date. There was no scanty rainfall in any meteorological sub-division. However, there was deficientrainfall in Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Saurashtra, Kutch, Diu, Rayalaseema, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry. There was excess rainfall in Bihar plateau and Bihar plains. Ninety per cent area of the country and 69 per cent meteorological districts received normal to excess rainfall. For country as a whole, rainfall was 95 per cent of long period average value so far.

CROP SITUATION - RICE: The transplanting of kharif rice in all rice growing states is in progress, however, in Punjab the transplanting is almost complete and area covered is more than the normal area by about 2 lakh hectre. It is also higher than the area covered in the corresponding period of the previous year. The transplanting of kharif rice is also almost complete in Haryana and Rajasthan. The total area coverage under rice in the country so far is 64 per cent of the normal area which is 395 lakh hectre. With recent rains the gap in crop acreage in MP as compared to last year has reduced. The rice acreage progression is better in WestBengal as compared to last year, indicating some area expansion on account of lesser jute coverage.

PULSES: There is an increasing trend of redgram (arhar) sowing in Karnataka and Maharashtra. The area covered under kharif pulses so far is 75.4 lakh hectre as compared to 78.4 lakh hectre covered in the corresponding period of last year. Though at present the acreage is lagging behind the coverage of last year's corresponding period, there are indications that there will be marginal increase due to inter crop area shift from coarse cereals and to an extent from oilseeds.

COARSE CEREALS: The total normal area under kharif coarse cereals is 243 lakh hectre out of which about 169 lakh hectre has been sown so far. In the corresponding period of the previous year the coverage was 181 lakh hectre. But this gap in progression of acreage in coarse cereals is expected to be reduced with rains in recent weeks in parts of central and western India.

The normal area under bajra is 95 lakh hectre. Thebajra area coverage has been shrinking over the years and the similar trend is reflected this year also. The area coverage under bajra so far is 69 per cent of the normal. The area coverage under jowar is 73 per cent of the normal (56 lakh hectre). The area coverage under maize is 53 lakh hectre which is same as the previous year.

OILSEEDS: The area coverage under kharif oilseeds so far is about 109 lakh hectre as against 134 lakh hectre in the corresponding period last year. Area coverage under groundnut is 87 per cent of the normal area (64 lakh hectre). Area coverage under soyabean is 52 lakh hectre as compared to 61 lakh hectre covered in like period last year. Sowing of sunflower, sesamum, nigerseed and castor is in progress.

ONIONS: The area and production of kharif onion in 1998-99 was about 76.5 thousand hectre with a production of 8.65 lakh tonne which is likely to increase during kharif 1999-2000 with a target of about 79.5 thousand hectre coverage and output target of 9.98 lakhtonne.

COTTON: The total area covered so far is about 75 lakh hectre as against 82 lakh hectre in the like period previous year.

JUTE & MESTA: The area coverage under jute is 7 lakh hectre as compared to 8.2 lakh hectre in the like period last year. The area coverage under mesta is 1.9 lakh hectre as compared to 1.7 lakh hectre in the like period last year.

SUGARCANE: The spring planting of sugarcane is complete. The area coverage so far is 39.2 lakh hectre as compared to 39.8 lakh hectre in the like period last year.