India monsoon rains delayed, to arrive by June 5

NEW DELHI: This year's monsoon may arrive on India's southern Kerala coast in the next five days as the rains have missed their normal start date of June 1, weather officials said on Monday. The annual rainy season is vital for India as half its cropland lacks irrigation. The farm sector accounts for 15 percent of India's $2 trillion economy. The rains support two-thirds of India's 1.25 billion population who live in rural areas and rely on farming. After arriving over the Kerala coast, the monsoon starts its four-month long season. "We hope conditions will become favourable for the monsoon onset over the Kerala coast on around June 5," said B.P. Yadav, director of the India Meteorological Department ( IMD). ET