Production of rice and soybean in the 2017-18 (Jul-Jun) kharif season may come down due to the possibility of an erratic second half of the southwest monsoon season. A poor and erratic monsoon in second half of the season may potentially bring down the production (of rice) by 5-8 million tonne from the normal level. Production of rice in 2016-17 kharif season is estimated at 96.09 million tonne. Skymet has predicted the southwest monsoon this year at 95%, with rainfall declining in the second half of the season. Acreage of the grain in the ongoing kharif season is expected to be near normal at around 39.3 million hectares, due to the timely onset of the monsoon season.