India monsoon 18 pct below normal in July 29 week

* Monsoon dips after 2 weeks of above-normal rains

* Weekly rains deficient to scanty in 19 out of 36 zones

* June 1-July 29 rainfall 19 pct below normal (Adds details and background)

- India's monsoon rains were 18 percent below normal in the week to July 29, the weather office said on Thursday, renewing fears of deficient crops after rainfall had been above normal for the previous two weeks.

Rains in the past week were below normal in the southern states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, where corn is grown, while in Uttar Pradesh, the leading cane producer, rains were scant in the eastern part but normal in its western districts.

Total rainfall in the country since the beginning of June was 19 percent below average, pulled down by the driest June in 83 years, data from the India Meteorological Department showed.

The June-September rains are the main source of irrigation for Indian farms and are crucial for Asia's third-largest economy.

The weather department said all 36 weather zones received rains during the week, but the weekly rainfall was deficient to scanty in 19 zones.

The data showed rainfall was 1 percent above normal in India's central region, the main soybean producing belt, while the rains over cane and paddy growing north west region were still 32.5 percent below normal.
Source:: Reuters India