United States government expects Indiana and the nation to grow bumper crops of maize for the second consecutive year, adding to already adequate supplies but further holding down prices farmers will get for their productivity. Nation wide, farmers are projected to produce 14 billion bushels, eclipsing the previous record of 13.9 billion.
Production of basmati rice in India is set to touch a new high this year with farmers in key producing States Punjab, Haryana and Uttarakhand taking up cultivation of the new high-yielding variety Pusa 1509 in a big way. The acreage of Pusa 1509, which consumes less water and has more resistance to pest attacks has seen a quantum leap.
Indian cotton was traded flat as demand remained slow with buyers waiting for new crop. Raw cotton moved down on weak ginning demand. At Rajkot, Sankar-6 best quality cotton was traded at Rs 39,000-40,000 a candy of 356 kg. About 3,000 bales (of 170 kg) arrived in Gujarat and 58,000-6,000 bales arrived in India.
Rainfall has decreased across the country, barring East and Northeast India where good rain is being observed for the last couple of days. In a span of 24 hours from 8.30 am on Sunday Motihari in Bihar recorded 88 mm of rain and Gaya 35.2 mm. Bahraich in east Uttar Pradesh recorded 17 mm of rain. Some other stations to receive rain were Darjeeling 18 mm, Namchi 18 mm and Goalpara 25 mm.
The weather system that gave good rains across Odisha and Central India, moving up to southeast Rajasthan and west Madhya Pradesh recurved and has been moving sluggishly. It is still seen as a cyclonic circulation over Bihar and Jharkhand due to which East India is receiving good rain.
There has also been a drop in the temperature profile of the region. The maximum temperature recorded in Gaya on Sunday was a comfortable 34.2°C, while the minimum settled at 25.1°C. The weather in the state capital of Bihar, Patna was even better, with maximum recording 32.5°C. Motihari that observed 88 mm of rain on Sunday saw the maximum settle at 34.5°C however, the night temperature dropped a good deal to settle at 22.5°C.
According to Skymet Meteorology Division in India, the weather in the region is going to remain the same for another two days after which rainfall is going to shift further eastward and reduce in intensity.
Picture courtesy: apnnews.com
Residents and vacationers were left to scoot in shelters and hotel conference rooms as a category 3 storm - Hurricane Odile - made a landfall on the southern Baja California peninsula.
The pounding rain coupled with strong wind appeared pretty devastating as it touched the ground before weakening.
These rains are likely to result in life-threatening flashfloods and mud slides. The center of Odile will move over the extreme southern Baja California peninsula in a few hours and move near or over Baja California through Tuesday. Swells from Odile will affect portions of the southwestern coast of Mexico during the next couple of days and are already affecting southern portions of the Baja California peninsula and the southern Gulf of California. These swells will likely cause life- threatening surf and rip current conditions.
Odile is the seventh major hurricane of the Eastern Pacific Hurricane Season.
Odile was expected to move northwest to the southern and central Baja peninsula from Sunday night through Tuesday with damaging hurricane-force winds. Odile should begin to weaken later Monday as it picks up more stable air and cooler water, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Local residents and tourists may witness extended power outages along with loss of basic services.
The amount of rain is expected to trigger flash flooding and mudslides, especially since the region was just soaked by Hurricane Norbert.
Country has witnessed a marginal decline in the rainfall activity during the last few days of September. From 11th to 15th of September, the country has observed 4.2 mm rainfall against the normal of 6.1 mm. The national cumulative deficiency is still maintaining at 11%, though with the marginal increase.
As we enter into the second week of September, the normal daily average rainfall figures are expected to reduce - from 6 mm of rainfall to 4 or 4.5 mm of rainfall. Country will witness very less rain showers which indicates the withdrawal of southwest monsoon from several parts of the country.
According to Skymet Meteorology Division in India, region of Northwestern and central India will see drastic reduction in the rainfall activity, whereas significant activity will only be confined to East, Northeast and Southern India. Even these areas will not witness heavy showers during the withdrawal phase. However, if there is a heavy spell, it will be location specific, isolated activity.
Monsoon in India started on a poor note this year, with the national cumulative deficit being 43% in June, 22% in July and 17% in August. According to the latest weather update by Skymet Meteorology Division in India, this year, Southwest Monsoon is likely to withdraw from west Rajasthan anytime in the coming week.
The prevailing situation now seems conducive for the withdrawal of Monsoon as there has not been any rain in west Rajasthan in the last few days. The cities of Barmer, Bikaner, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer have recorded nil rainfall. However, east Rajasthan has been receiving some rain.
Bearing a wind speed of 130 km/h, Typhoon Kalmaegi has crossed the northern Philippines as it heads towards Vietnam and China.
A fast-moving typhoon Kalmaegi, Typhoon Luis in Philippines, caused flash floods and landslides yesterday in Luzon, the northern of the three largest islands in the Philippines.
In the next 48 hours, as Kalmaegi emerges over the South China Sea, strengthening is likely to resume due to favorable environmental conditions. It is expected to cut through the South China Sea and eventually into China and then Vietnam, Tuesday into Wednesday.
Kalmaegi is the 12th weather disturbance that Philippines has battled this year. The calamity-prone Philippines battles almost 20 storms and typhoons every year.
Contribution to Monsoon in India
History of such storms suggest that after reaching the coastal areas of south China, they weaken but remnants of such systems come very close to northeastern parts of India and play an important role in building up of weather systems in the Bay of Bengal.
Decrease in rainfall on Monday brings huge respite for flood-ravaged Jammu and Kashmir. According to Skymet Meteorology Division in India, sky will remain mainly clear today, though isolated light rainfall is expected in some parts but that will not hamper the ongoing rescue operations.
The situation had once again become grim in the state on 14th September, as rainfall lashed some parts of Jammu and Kashmir, bringing the relief operations to a standstill. However, the next few days will witness improved weather conditions, as rain is expected to cease from Tuesday onwards. The maximum temperature in the state has been hovering around a comfortable of 25°C for the last few days. Minimums too have been settling around 12°C.
Meanwhile, rescue operations in the state have been intensified, as the water level receded marginally. Hundreds of thousands of people are still stranded in the upper floors of their homes. Indian Army and NDRF officials were seen trawling through the water packed streets picking up residents and delivering food, water and basic medicine to the people. Several new pumps have been ordered by the state government to drain out the muddy water at the earliest.
Epidemic threat also looms large over the region. Fear of possible outbreak of water-borne diseases stands high due to the stagnated water. Lots of animals have died during the floods, which is the biggest source of infection. The state health department has asked the Centre for as many as 300 paramedic staff along with doctors to prevent any such grave situation.
At the moment people are stuck and are not able to seek any kind of medical assistance but once the water levels recede, the state will witness a medical emergency kind of situation. As a preventive measure, local authorities have proposed to mobilise boats to send medical supplies to people in inundated areas of Srinagar, especially medicines for people suffering from diabetes and hypertension.
The hilly state is reeling under the worst flood in the last century. Life is wrecked in Jammu and Kashmir as heavy rains last week had caused flash floods. River Jhelum is still flowing above danger mark in Srinagar, leaving situation grim in the valley. Heavy downpour that has washed away several villages and left numerous people homeless in J&K is likely to tone down as the weekend approaches.
Vietnam, the top producer and main player in the black pepper market, has been keenly following the Indian exchange. Meanwhile, taking cues from the Indian futures market Vietnamese farmers and collectors are reportedly holding back their pepper produce. Brazil is following Vietnam’s lead, with limited stocks of pepper.
The downtrend in global raw sugar prices on higher production in Brazil is posing a fresh set of challenges for Indian sugar exporters. This is at a time when millers, ahead of the crushing season, keenly await the Government’s decision on export subsidy for October and November. Cane crushing for the upcoming season will begin soon.
