Farmers in India fear irregular monsoon amid summer heat and drought

The timely onset of the monsoon season in India bodes well for the economy, especially for farmers whose land is irrigated by the annual southwest monsoon.

This monsoon provides a lifeline for about 60% of the country’s net cultivated area and industries linked to it. However, experts fear that the monsoon may be unevenly distributed this year.

Although the first rush of monsoonal rains arrived in southern India last week, it has been far from normal, heightening fears that its progress…