the poor monsoon in several parts of the country has affected kharif crop prospects, according to officials at the environment ministry. The worst affected are oilseed crops like groundnut and soybean. Luckily for farmers, there was ample rainfall for major crops like rice, pulses and sugarcane and there is no reason to worry about their output, ministry sources said. However, reports from Punjab say that kharif prospects are bright in the state despite scanty rainfall.

The production of coarse cereals has been on the downswing during the last few years, despite good successive monsoons. The agriculture ministry is yet to make a firm assessment of damage to crops due to the lack of rainfall.

"We are watching the situation closely. We have a defined timetable for making crop assessments and we are in no hurry to scale down the targets yet,' said a official at the agricultural ministry. However, the renewed monsoon rains in the last seven days has brought new hope.