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Normal rainfall in Kerala

Our Bureau

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, July 3

KERALA received normal rainfall from the south-west monsoon in June which precludes the need for any change in the prevalent cropping pattern predominated by perennial cash crops, according to sources in the State Agriculture Ministry.

The State received 64.9 cm of rain in June, as against a normal of 69.7 cm. In meteorological terms, plus or minus 19 cm is treated as normal, according to the Indian Meteorological Department sources here.

Normal to excess rains were received in the first fortnight of the month, while rainfall was deficient in the second week. The monsoon was active for six days, weak for the next five days and normal during the remaining days.

Idukki district, which is home to most of Kerala's spice and tea plantations, received excess rainfall while Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur and Wayanad districts received deficient rainfall. The remaining districts received normal rainfall.

The fairly good rainfall augurs well in the context of peculiar crop pattern dictated by the preponderance of cash crops. The overall cropping intensity, which was 133.17 per cent in 1996-97, had recorded a negative growth by sliding back to 130.7 per ce nt in 1997-98. This is attributed to the drift from the rice-based farming systems in the low-lying areas to perennial mono-cropping system.