The influence of a low pressure system out of India combined with the southwestern monsoon is predicted to bring heavy rainfall and scattered showers to Cambodia, especially in the south-central plains and in the

northwest, according to a notice from the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology posted on April 27.

The ministry said in the notice that “this year’s rainy season will arrive in the first week of May.

Provinces in the central plains of the south and in the northwest will see heavier rainfall than the rest of the country, but scattered showers are expected to occur along the Dangrek Mountain range and in the northeastern plateaus, as well as in the coastal provinces.”

Ngin Chhay of the general directorate of agriculture told The Post on April 27 that so far this year there had been more rainfall than average and that some regions of farmland had ample supply of water already which should signal farmers in those areas to begin growing rice, especially those in the central plains in the south and in the northwest.

“[One of the most important] things for farmers to consider is whether they have enough water resources to avoid water shortages, which can lead to rice crop damage,” he said.

In the second weather forecast for 2021 released by the ministry on April 21, no dry spell is predicted to occur during this year’s rainy season.

The ministry estimates that between 28 and 30 storms will occur in the Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea and that these storms will bring heavy rainfall to Cambodia.

The third week of April has seen heavy rainfall in Cambodia and over 85,000ha have been ploughed with over 24,000ha of rice crops now planted, Chhay added.

Chhay also noted that farmers had already harvested their dry season rice across the country with a total yield of 2.93 million tonnes from 646,530ha under cultivation.