MUMBAI, Aug 28 Reuters India is poised for its lowest monsoon rains in eight years, with the El Niño weather pattern seen crimping September precipitation after an August that is on track to be the driest in over a century, two weather department officials told Reuters on Monday.

The summer rainfall deficit could make essentials such as sugar, pulses, rice and vegetables more expensive and lift overall food inflation, which jumped in July to the highest since January 2020.

The monsoon, vital for India39;s 3 trillion economy, delivers nearly 70 of the rain the country needs to water crops and refill reservoirs and aquifers. Nearly half of the farmland in the world39;s most populous nation lacks irrigation.

El Niño dampened rainfall in August, and it will also have a negative impact on September rainfall, said a senior official at the India Meteorological Department IMD. They declined to be identified since they were not authorised to brief the media.

India is on course to end the JuneSeptember monsoon season with a rainfall deficit of at least 8, which would be the widest since 2015, when El Niño also curtailed precipitation, the official added.

The weather department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Indian weather authorities are expected to announce their September forecast on Aug. 31.

In its last fullseason forecast, on May 26, the IMD had anticipated a rainfall deficit of 4 for the season, assuming limited impact from the El Niño weather…