New Delhi, Aug 7 - It's something you might have already sensed, but now comes the official admission - the average monsoon rainfall has so far been deficient by 25 percent in the country, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) Friday said.

According to the latest figures released by the IMD for the monsoon period June 1-Aug 5, the cumulative seasonal rainfall for the country as a whole during this year's monsoon has so far been 25 percent below average.

'Out of 36 meteorological sub-divisions, the cumulative rainfall during the period was excess or normal in 11 and deficient in 23 and scanty over two meteorological sub-divisions,' the IMD said in a statement here.

Central and northwest India covering country's food basket states - Punjab and Haryana - were worst hit this year.