Mumbai, July 3 -- A resurgent monsoon is likely to keep kharif sowing progress on track in near term. According to the Agriculture Ministry's data, as much as 258.57 lakh hectares (lh) have been planted under different crops in the on-going kharif season until June 27, up by 11.5% on year. Rice sowing is up around 47% while oilseeds and Pulses acreage is up 20% and 34% respectively. These trends will likely augur well for overall kharif crop size this year. According to a latest update from the Indian Meteorological Department or IMD, monthly average rainfall over the country as a whole in July 2025 is most likely to be above normal, exceeding 106% of the Long Period Average (LPA). Geographically, most parts of the country are likely to exp...