India witnessed its strongest monsoon in five years, lifting prospects for crops such as rice and pulses and raising hopes that food prices may ease further.

Rainfall from June to September, which irrigates about half of the country’s farmland and is important for the next planting season, was 937.2 millimeters. That was 8% higher than the long-term average, and the best rainy season since 2020, according to data compiled by the India Meteorological Department.

The early arrival of the monsoon this year, followed by good precipitation, helped farmers allocate more land to crops such as rice, pulses and sugar cane, according to the farm ministry.

That could mean better harvests and a further reduction in food inflation, which contracted 0.7% in August. Stronger agricultural output could

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