Monsoon reaches Konkan, Goa

"With favourable conditions, southwest monsoon has further advanced on Sunday into some more parts of Karnataka, entire Goa and some parts of Konkan," the IMD said.

The weatherman had earlier forecast that rains will hit Goa on June 5 and Mumbai by June 7 or 8, two days before the usual time, but the arrival of cyclone 'Aila' had put all the predictions haywire.

Southwest monsoon, set in at Andaman Nicobar Islands on May 20 and Kerala on May 23 almost a week before time, was slowed down due to the cyclone Aila which hit West Bengal.

But the east and the northeast received good rainfall during the last week of May due to the cyclone.

The June-September monsoon rains are a major influence on the farm-dependent economy as two-thirds of Indians depend on agriculture and related businesses for a living.

Timely rain helps boost crop yields including rice which are planted after the onset of the monsoon.

Rain may also aid the health of sugar cane already planted in Maharashtra, the nation's biggest producer.

Sowing of monsoon crops including rice, oilseeds, cotton and corn begins in June and ends mostly by July. Harvesting starts in September.