Rain Driven Economy - Sri Lanka Failure of the monsoons affects power generation and agriculture. The South West Monsoons which generally come in the May-June period was a failure, this time affecting both electricity production and possibly the Yala cultivation as well.Sri Lanka’s power generation still depends a lot on cheap and inexpensive hydro-power. If the rains fail it then has to rely on the more expensive thermal power, diesel to be precise and independent power producers (IPPs) to ensure that Sri Lanka suffers no blackouts. And that has been the case during the past few months, dependency on the dearer fossil fuels and IPPs to ensure that the island suffers no power outages.A strain on the Treasury no doubt as the cost of supply is more than the income made by selling electricity to the consumer in such a scenario.Matters may be further compounded if the North-East (NE) monsoons which are usually due in September/October do not take place thereby worsening the crisis. A failure of the NE monsoons will not only have an impact on power generation, but also on the Maha crop as well.That may help to boost agriculture production to an extent despite the possibility of a drought. But given the fact that the NE monsoons have a direct bearing on Sri Lanka’s main rice cultivating areas vis-a-vis the North Central Province, Kurunegala and Trincomalee districts, and now the Northern Province plus the Mahaweli areas, the availability of a third of the island’s landmass for cultivation because of peace is however no compensation for the lack of water due to a drought that will naturally affect the cultivation of the Maha crop.Weather plays a pivotal role in Sri Lanka’s agro based and hydro power based economy.If in the event the NE monsoonal rains are a non starter, that may also necessitate the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) to provide drought relief to those affected (a further cost to the exchequer) and the island witnessing increased food imports, a dent in agriculture exports, rise in energy and food prices and the widening of the trade deficit.Sri Lanka still has a long way to go before becoming an economy not dependent on the vagaries of the weather for its survival.
For Bangalore - septembe/october are supposed to be rainest months of the year - but no rain has fallen and climate is becoming hot.
ReplyDeletePune on other hand has received extremely good rain around 200mm september/october - think this year pune may have 1000mm total rain.
Pradeep pl give d list of stations with heaviest rainfal from 1st oct
ReplyDeleteRain Driven Economy - Sri Lanka
ReplyDeleteFailure of the monsoons affects power generation and agriculture.
The South West Monsoons which generally come in the May-June period was a failure, this time affecting both electricity production and possibly the Yala cultivation as well.Sri Lanka’s power generation still depends a lot on cheap and inexpensive hydro-power.
If the rains fail it then has to rely on the more expensive thermal power, diesel to be precise and independent power producers (IPPs) to ensure that Sri Lanka suffers no blackouts. And that has been the case during the past few months, dependency on the dearer fossil fuels and IPPs to ensure that the island suffers no power outages.A strain on the Treasury no doubt as the cost of supply is more than the income made by selling electricity to the consumer in such a scenario.Matters may be further compounded if the North-East (NE) monsoons which are usually due in September/October do not take place thereby worsening the crisis. A failure of the NE monsoons will not only have an impact on power generation, but also on the Maha crop as well.That may help to boost agriculture production to an extent despite the possibility of a drought. But given the fact that the NE monsoons have a direct bearing on Sri Lanka’s main rice cultivating areas vis-a-vis the North Central Province, Kurunegala and Trincomalee districts, and now the Northern Province plus the Mahaweli areas, the availability of a third of the island’s landmass for cultivation because of peace is however no compensation for the lack of water due to a drought that will naturally affect the cultivation of the Maha crop.Weather plays a pivotal role in Sri Lanka’s agro based and hydro power based economy.If in the event the NE monsoonal rains are a non starter, that may also necessitate the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) to provide drought relief to those affected (a further cost to the exchequer) and the island witnessing increased food imports, a dent in agriculture exports, rise in energy and food prices and the widening of the trade deficit.Sri Lanka still has a long way to go before becoming an economy not dependent on the vagaries of the weather for its survival.