UPDATE 1-India monsoon 15 pct above normal in July 22 week

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NEW DELHI, July 23 (Reuters) - India's monsoon rains were 15 percent above normal in the week to July 22, the second consecutive week of above-average rainfall after an exceptionally dry patch since the start of the season.

Higher rainfall filled up India's main reservoirs to 23 percent of capacity in the past seven days, up from 14 percent a week ago, helping hydropower supply, which accounts for a quarter of India's total generation capacity.

More water in reservoirs also helps irrigate the wheat and rapeseed crops that are planted from October.

But rainfall was scarce in the main sugarcane-growing state of Uttar Pradesh, and India's weather office has forecast only scattered showers in the state.

Widespread showers are forecast for Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, the country's main cotton and oilseeds regions.

Cotton and oilseeds sowing has revived in western and central India after a slow start, as the region has received adequate rainfall in the past two weeks although sugarcane output in western India is set to decline. [ID:nDEL345891]

In India's top sugarcane producing state of Uttar Pradesh, output is set to drop 11 percent in the next crop season, a state government official said. [ID:nBOM003429]

For a factbox on impact of monsoons on Indian crops, see [ID:nDEL401846] .

Total rainfall since the beginning of June was 19 percent below average, improving from a 27 percent deficit in the previous week, the India Meteorological Department said. (Reporting by Himangshu Watts; Editing by John Mair)