Monsoon rainfall in India this year will be below normal levels according to the state-run India Meteorological Department. The wettest month of the monsoon season – July, will likely see 93% of a 50-year average of 89 centimeters (35 inches) of rain. The arrival of the monsoon occurred one week later than normal on June 6th and some analysts believe that food grain output could decline by 10% if rice growing regions get less than normal rainfall. Prime Minister Modi has called for measures to prevent food hoarding and for price stabilizing actions to be taken, and the government may allow imports of essential commodities while selling food grain from state stockpiles if the need arises to curb inflation. Out of the past ten years, India saw normal or more than normal rainfall in only three. In 2009, during the last El Nino, Monsoon rainfall fell to its lowest point in almost four decades and rice and oilseed harvests declined by 10%.
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