15 September 2016
Economy
Diving into Trending Themes
How does monsoon impact Indian economy?
2016 turning out to be third consecutive year of below-normal monsoon
As against expectations of an above-normal monsoon season, 2016 south-west (SW) monsoon has turned from
a surplus of 3% of long-period average (LPA) a month ago, to a deficit of 5% now. With only two weeks
remaining in the current monsoon season, 2016 could be the third consecutive year of below-normal monsoon.
Below-normal monsoon in 2016 will lead to lowering of real GVA growth projections for FY17 by 35-40bp.
Although the correlation between monsoon and inflation is difficult to establish, worse-than-expected
monsoon may reduce market expectations of sharper rate cuts. Further, while rural wages are more correlated
with fiscal policies than rainfall, weak monsoon could act as dampener for rural sector-related stocks.
Moreover, excess rainfall in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, and deficit rainfall in Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh
may impact production of coarse cereals, pulses, oilseeds and cotton.
Finally, although area sown under pulses has increased dramatically in 2016, it is important to note that two-
thirds of production occurs in the Rabi season, for which good levels of water reservoirs are needed. The third
consecutive year of below-normal monsoon does not give much confidence.
is Motilal Oswal’s new
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“EcoKnowLedge”
SW monsoon from 3% surplus a month ago to 5% deficit
now:
2016 SW monsoon (June-September period) saw a
Exhibit 1: SW monsoon has faltered since mid-August
weak start in June (11% deficit), but picked up
Weekly
Cumulative
(% of LPA)
impressively in July to wipe out the entire deficiency. As
40
per the
Indian Meteorological Department (IMD),
20
cumulative rainfall for the first half (June-July) of the
0
monsoon season was normal with no departure from
long-period average (LPA). However, the performance
-20
has deteriorated significantly since mid-August – with a
-40
cumulative deficit of ~22% in past five weeks, SW rainfall
has turned from a surplus of 3% of LPA a month ago to a
deficit of 5% as of September 14, 2016
(Exhibit 1).
IMD and Skymet forecasts:
The IMD, in its
second long-
range forecast (LRF) released on August 1, 2016,
maintained its
first LRF
of SW rainfall to be 106% of LPA
in the country as a whole. The IMD has not released any
forecast update since then, but Skymet, the other
weather forecasting agency, lowered its forecasts from
109% of LPA
to
100% in mid-August 2016.
40
20
0
-20
-40
With a cumulative deficit of ~22% in
past five weeks, SW rainfall has
turned from a surplus of 3% of LPA a
month ago to a deficit of 5% as of
September 14, 2016
Source: Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), MoSL
Latest data is for the week ended September 14, 2016
Nikhil Gupta
(Nikhil.Gupta@MotilalOswal.com); +91 22 3982 5405
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