Reservoirs swell; crops and power to gain

Water levels in India's main reservoirs rose above average on Thursday, the first time since end July, reducing the risk to crops from a failed monsoon and boosting hydro power supply. Reservoirs had filled up to 57 per cent of capacity by Thursday, just over the 10-year average of 56 per cent for India's 81 biggest reservoirs at this time of the year, government data showed. Farm Minister Sharad Pawar told parliament last week that the country's wheat output was likely to surpass last year's record 80.6 million tonnes.