Indian soy crop sowing hastens on rains

India's monsoon, which accounts for four-fifths of the nation's annual rains, reached the mainland in southern Kerala state a day earlier than schedule, aiding timely sowing of soy crops.

Conditions are "favourable" for further advance of rains into interior and coastal Karnataka state in the next 48 hours, the India Meteorological Department said. The rainy season typically begins on June 1.

Monsoonal rains are critical to the South Asian nation, where farming accounts for as much as a fifth of the economy. India's expansion slowed in the December quarter after the weakest rainfall since 1972 last year damaged crops.

Adequate showers may help Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tame food inflation that climbed near an 11-year high this year, and pare imports of food staples. The country overtook China as the world's biggest palm oil buyer and became the largest sugar importer after last year's drought led to shortages.

Meanwhile, tropical cyclone Laila, which lashed the South Indian coast on May 20, stalled the progress of the monsoon after it arrived over the eastern coast three days ahead of schedule on May 17. The weather office on May 14 predicted rains will set over Kerala from May 30.

Monsoon showers may advance to the coastal areas of south Konkan and Goa in the week ending June 10 and the heat wave in northern and central states may abate with pre-monsoon showers, the weather bureau said.

Rains this year may be 98% of the 50-year average, the India Meteorological Department said on April 23.

The bureau, which failed to predict last year's drought, considers rainfall to be normal if it is between 96 and 104 percent of the long-range average.