The 2026 monsoon season ended on September 30 with rainfall at 87 per cent of the long-period average, a 13 per cent deficit that makes it one of the weakest seasons in over a decade. Fifteen states and Union territories received below-normal rainfall, and 313 of India’s 741 districts were classified as deficient. The southern peninsula was the worst hit, with a 24 per cent shortfall. A weak monsoon affects kharif crop output, reservoir levels and rural demand, and can push up food prices. It also raises the burden on winter rabi crops and groundwater. The IMD attributed the shortfall to unfavourable weather patterns during the crucial July-August period. Economists will be watching the impact on agricultural growth and rural incomes. Context: India receives about 70 per cent of its annual rainfall during the four-month monsoon season, and agriculture employs nearly half the workforce. The IMD will release its final monsoon assessment in the coming days.