India : Monsoon rains 1 percent above average in past week – IMD

NEW DELHI Monsoon rains in India were 1 percent above average in the week ending June 29, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday.

The June-September monsoon has remained 12 percent lower than average so far, but rains have covered almost the entire country, and helped quicken the planting process of summer crops such as rice, soybeans, cotton and pulses.

Though the monsoon arrived in India on June 8, a week later than usual, IMD expects rains to pick up pace in July.