The south-west monsoon today hit Kerala bringing much-needed relief to farmers. Monsoon generally arrives on Kerala coast on 1st June, but it got delayed due to cyclonic pressure over the Arabian Sea this year.

Talking to AIR, Director weather forecasting of the Met Department Dr BP Yadav said, it has been raining for the past few days, but the parameters suggest the monsoon has now arrived. He said it covered Kerala completely and has now reached Mangalore.

Mr Yadav said, monsoon rains will arrive in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Konkan region and Goa in the next two days. Further, Mumbai can hope to receive rains in the next two-three days where as it is expected to arrive in Kolkata on June 10th and 12th. The IMD has forecast average rains in 2012, for the third straight year.

AIR correspondent reports the onset of monsoon rains brightens the prospects of higher farm output as farmers can plant summer-sown crops such as rice, soybean and cotton on time. The annual rains are crucial for farm output and economic growth as about 55 percent of India’s arable land is rain-fed, and farm sector accounts for about 15 per cent of a nearly two trillion US dollar economy.