Untimely rain accompanied by hailstorm in a few parts of Punjab in the past 48 hours has triggered fear among the farmers that the standing wheat crop’s quality might get damaged and harvesting might be delayed further, causing heavy losses.
Also read:Farming under lockdown: Short on labourers, a long harvest
Many parts experienced light to moderate rain accompanied by hailstorm during the past 48 hours, according to the meteorological department. It has forecast another spell in the coming week which has doubled the farmers’ worries.
Agriculture department Director Sutantra Kumar Airi on Sunday told The Hindu that fields in over half a dozen villages in Muktsar district were hit by the hailstorm and that the assessment of crop loss was being done.
“In many other parts of the State, rain spell had occurred but there’s no major report of losses. Wheat is at ripening stage now and the spell could delay the harvesting by a few days,” he said.
Harvesting of wheat, the main rabi (winter) crop sown between late October and December, has already started but yet to gain momentum amid the lockdown. Punjab is expecting a bumper wheat production that could cross 182 lakh tonnes, according to data from the Agriculture department.
“There is a possibility of light rain on April 22 and 23 as well,” said Surender Paul, director at the India Meteorological Department, Chandigarh.
Also read” Ensure farmers function without hiccups: Supreme Court
Bharatiya Kisan Union’s general secretary in Punjab, Jagmohan Singh, said rain at the harvesting stage of the crop is dangerous as it will adversely impact the quality. “Besides, the moisture content in the harvested produce will also increase due to the overcast conditions. The government should immediately announce that it will purchase the wheat grain with up to 16% moisture content, which is currently 14% otherwise the farmers will have to bear the brunt,” he said.
Mr. Singh said the weather would have also impacted the quality (shine) of the grain in the fields. “The government, therefore, while purchasing should not object to ‘discolouration’ while purchasing the crop in the mandis,” he said.
