As per Economic Survey, agriculture growth will be accelerated to 4.1% in 2016-17, which is the highest in last three years. Agriculture growth in 2015-16 was just 1.2%. Year 2015-16 and 2014-15 witnessed deficient rainfall. Monsoon was 11% deficit in 2014-15 and 14% deficit in 2015-16. On the other hand, 2016-17 was a normal Monsoon year.
Better Monsoon in 2016-17 as compared to 2015-16 and 2014-15 has boosted the agriculture output and has also prepared the ground for Rabi crops.
It has not been very long since the country witnessed two back to back droughts during 2014 and 2015. All thanks to the strongest El Niño on record that spoilt both the Monsoon seasons those years. However, India got a brief respite in 2016 as the Niño index started witnessing a rapid decline since March 2016 and reached the negative value of – 0.1 in May. The Pacific Ocean had also cooled down considerably. Thus, Southwest Monsoon 2016 ended with normal rainfall at 97% of long period average from June 1 to September 30.
Thus, favorable weather across the country boosted Rabi sowing as Rabi crops have been sown in an area of 637.34 lakh hectares as against 600.02 lakh hectares sown at the same time last year.
Related Post: Monsoon 2017: El Niño shows signs of resurfacing again
Agriculture contributes about 14% to India’s economic output and around half of the country’s population is involved in farm related activities. Healthy growth in agriculture helps in reviving the overall economy.
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