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Rains break long dry spell in India's soybean belt

India's major soybean growing areas received rains late on Wednesday, breaking a long dry spell and bringing cheer to farmers who were on the verge of re-sowing their crops.

Many parts of the central Madhya Pradesh, which accounts for nearly 70 per cent of the country's total soybean output, received moderate rains, while some places got heavy showers, weather officials said.

"It means a lot for the soybean crop which has got a big respite. It will greatly help the crop," said O P Goel, chairman of the Indore-based Soybean Processors Association of India.

Indore in Madhya Pradesh is the hub of India's soy trade.

Traders and farm scientists said re-sowing could have halved average crop yields to about 500 kg per hectare.

"If it rains for a few more days, we will be on a safe wicket," Goel said.

India annually produces about 5.5 million tonnes of soybean, which is sown in mid-June, and exports 2.2-2.5 million tonnes of soymeal to countries such as South Korea, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Japan.

Major soybean growing areas, which are almost entirely dependent on the monsoon for irrigation, have had no rain in the past two to three weeks.

The monsoon arrived over southern Kerala state, on schedule, in early June and covered the western part of the country, but its progress towards the northwest has been delayed.

Rainfall from June 1 to July 10 was deficient in 20 out of 36 meteorological divisions.

However, weather officials said the monsoon had revived in Madhya Pradesh, following formation of a low pressure area over the Bay of Bengal.

"We are expecting rainfall in most parts of Madhya Pradesh in the next 48 hours," said S Vishwanadham, director of Regional Meteorological Centre, based in the western city of Nagpur. "One or two places may get heavy rainfall."

Traders said soybean sowing has been completed in 78 per cent area in Madhya Pradesh which has an average land of about 3.4 million hectares under the crop.

Meanwhile, according to met office sources, monsoon is likely to hit Delhi by Friday or Saturday.

The met office also hopes that recovery from drought like conditions in the North India is also possible if there are four-five strong spells of rain.

Satellite pictures also showed a new low-pressure area and if it took the right course, monsoon conditions would be further strengthened.

These favourable conditions had led to rains in parts of Rajasthan.

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