Monsoon rains in India 7 per cent below average in past week

New Delhi: Monsoon rains in India were 7 percent below average in the week ending June 22, the weather office said on Thursday, narrowing the deficit since the season started on June 8.

The June-September monsoon rains have remained 18 percent low so far, but have covered almost the entire country, and helped quicken the planting process of summer crops such as paddy rice, soybeans, cotton and pulses.