India's summer crop planting gathers pace as monsoon r

Monsoon revival has accelerated planting of summer crops like cotton, soybean, and rice in India, reducing an earlier sowing deficit.

Summer crop sowing deficit narrowed to less than 5% by late July, from nearly a quarter lower at the end of June.

Farmers planted summer-sown crops on 78.7 million hectares as of July 24, compared to 82.6 million hectares a year earlier.

India's monsoon rainfall deficit has declined to 16% from nearly 40% at the end of June, though some regions still face deficits up to 40%.