New Delhi, April 26 (ANI): Director General of Indian Meteorological Department, Laxman Singh Rathore, said that India was likely to have below-average monsoon rainfall in 2014. Patchy rain could hit planting of crops such as soybeans, rice, corn and cotton, pressuring economic growth that has nearly halved to below five percent in the past two years. Poor crops could in turn raise food inflation now stuck at nine percent. Below-average rains in the June-September monsoon season may create a headache for the new government, expected to formed after results of the general election are announced on May 16. The last time India faced a drought with rainfall below the normal range was in 2009 and prior to that, in 2004 and 2002 - with El Nino hitting the Indian monsoon season on each occasion.
