New Delhi: India's south-west monsoon is likely to be normal for the second straight year in 2011, weather officials said on Monday, raising hopes of higher farm output that could help the government tame high food prices.
The monsoon acts as a lifeline for India's farm-dependent economy, which is also the world's leading producer and consumer of several key commodities such as sugar, grains, oilseeds and cooking oils.
"There is no abnormal global signals in the weather system to hint that there could be a drought this year," D Sivananda Pai, Director at the National Climate Center, told Reuters.
Pai said a La Nina weather pattern, which causes heavier-than-normal rains in South Asia, still prevails over 25 per cent of the country and is expected to remain active till May, just before the start of the June-Spetember monsoon season.
Another senior official said weather models of the Indian weather office ruled out chances of occurrence of El Nino that causes drought conditions in the Indian sub-continent.
"Our statistical models do not forecast a bad monsoon for 2011," the government official said without wanting to be named.
India's main weather office will come out with its first forecast on this year's monsoon season in April with periodic reviews as the four-month season progresses.
The government in Asia's third-largest economy is struggling to control double-digit food inflation, among the highest in the region, and a good monsoon is seen as crucial for higher farm output needed to cool prices.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, whose Congress party faces several important state elections this year, has said fighting inflation is a priority and last month's federal budget has spelt out steps to help boost farm output.
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