Monsoon rains covers almost all of India

MUMBAI (Reuters) - India's south-west monsoon, crucial for sowing of crops like paddy, oilseeds, sugarcane, cotton and pulses has covered almost all of India as per data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday.

Only parts of Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana are yet to receive monsoon rains.

"Conditions are favourable for further advance of southwest monsoon into remaining parts of Punjab and Haryana and some more parts of Rajasthan during next 2 days," IMD said.

The IMD also forecasts rainfall activity at many places in west and central India, which is the major oilseed producer.

Rainfall during June 1 to June 24 was 52.8 mm, 54 percent below the normal rainfall, it said last week. The weather office said last Wednesday total rainfall for the crucial June-September monsoon would be only 93 percent of the long-term average, coming in below normal for the first time in four years.