For the Kharif sowing season, which begins from June, the south west monsoon is the main source of irrigation for more than half of India. Kharif crops are normally cultivated on around 1060 lakh hectares. The cumulative rainfall for the country during the period from June 1st to August 16th, 2017 is 572.4 mm which is 4% less than the normal rainfall of 598.2mm. The rainfall has been large or excess in 6, normal in 20 and deficient/large deficient in 10 out of 36 meteorological subdivisions. The number of divisions with normal to largely excess rainfall is 26. There are now 10 divisions which have deficient rainfalls so far. In comparison with last year, where there were 6 divisions with deficient rainfall, this year in 2016-17 the number has increased to 10. Regions of Marathawada, East and West Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Vidarbha and Kerala are some of the divisions which fall in the category of deficient. Lower price realization last year on oil seeds have made the farmers switch the crop from oil seeds to cotton and sugar cane. The prices for oil seeds in market currently are the lowest in the past five years. This acts as a barrier for farmers from planting oil seeds.