-The Hindu ‘Southwest monsoon will set in over Kerala in next 3 or 4 days’ Even while maintaining that the torrential rain in Kerala was pre-monsoon showers, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday said in an update to its April monsoon forecast that rainfall would be 6% above the 50-year average of 89 cm. Rains over north-west India would be 8% more; over Central and South India 13% more and over north-east...

-The Hindu Business Line Advisory urges Kerala farmers to undertake nursery for rice, vegetables and orchard crop Thiruvananthapuram: Meteorological subdivision-level rainfall forecast indicates rainfall activity over South India during June 3 to 9, which can bring the onset of the South-West monsoon. Normal date for onset over Kerala is June 1. The June 3-9 window has been projected in the national agro-met advisory service bulletin based on extended range weather forecast valid for...

-The Hindu Business Line Accumulated stocks of skimmed milk powder insulate consumers from price hike Ahmedabad/ Bengaluru: The drought and Heat Wave across many States has impacted milk production, thereby affecting procurement by dairy co-operatives and private players. In the key milk-producing States of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, the procurement of liquid milk has dropped 20-50 per cent, which is more than the usual seasonal decline witnessed during summer. Experts blamed it...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: A day after Rajasthan's Phalodi recorded the country's highest temperature ever of 51°C, the India Meteorological Department said the frequency of severe Heat Waves had increased sharply in the past 15 years. Most heat-affected states have no plan in place to prevent mortality and morbidity associated with extreme heat. IMD officials said the average frequency of severe Heat Waves had doubled from 50 days a year...

-The Times of India Ranchi: Jharkhand government is yet to act on a Supreme Court order of May 13 that had asked drought-hit states to ensure midday meal in schools even during summer vacation. Local activists of the right to food campaign claimed that of the 10 drought-hit states - Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh - Jharkhand is the only state that has...