Monsoon rains 38% above-average this week: IMD

Monsoon rains in India were above average in the week through Wednesday, the weather office said, like soybean and cotton growing central parts of the country received heavy rainfall, damaging crops in some pockets.

Monsoon rains are crucial to farm output and economic growth because the agricultural sector accounts for about 15 per centof India's $2.5 trillion economies.

India received 38 per centmore rainfall than the 50-year average in the week to September11, data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) showed, with central India receiving 142 per centmore rain.

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Overall, India has received 3 per centmore rain than average since the start of the monsoon season on June 1.