Weak rains forecast in India's cane, oilseed regions

India's weather office has forecast poor monsoon rains in most sugarcane and oilseed growing areas for the next five days.

Rains will decrease in central and northwestern areas of the country after the next 40 hours, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

The weather office has forecast August rains to be 90 percent of the long-period average, down from 101 percent announced earlier.

The country's annual June-September rains -- lifeline to the trillion-dollar economy -- would be 87 percent of the long-period average, against a prior forecast of 93 percent, the IMD said.