The prospects of bumper wheat procurement from Punjab and Haryana may get affected with rain along with hailstorm threatening to hit wheat production in both the states.
The prospects of bumper wheat procurement from Punjab and Haryana may get affected with rain along with hailstorm threatening to hit wheat production in both the states.
With over 90% of wheat crop yet to be harvested in both states, wheat experts have asked farmers to wait for two to three days more before setting out for harvesting if rain again lash fields.
"Rain at this stage in not required at all when wheat crop is almost ready for harvesting...inclement weather can cause grain shattering which will in turn affect wheat yield," a senior official of Punjab Agriculture Department said here today.
Rain accompanied by hailstorms lashed at various parts of Punjab and Haryana in past two days including Moga, Phillaur, Samrala, Ludhiana, Gurdaspur in Punjab and Rewari, Mahendragarh, Jind and Sonepat in Haryana.
"These rains will further delay the harvesting of crop," official said.
Though the exact crop damage could not be ascertained, the field surveys in affected areas have been launched by both state authorities to find out worst fall out of rains and hailstorms.
In February this year, rains and hailstorm hit the wheat crop at various places in Punjab. Significantly, over 90% of wheat is yet to be harvested in Punjab and Haryana,making the maximum crop vulnerable to vagaries of weather. Wheat harvesting in both states got delayed because of extended cold conditions this year.
Punjab, known as food bowl of the country is expecting to contribute 110 lakh Metric Tonne of wheat to Central pool, while Haryana expects 65 lakh tonnes of crop.
Before rains and hailstorm, Punjab was anticipating 157 lakh tonnes of wheat output, 4% more than last year's production.
Asking wheat growers not to rush for crop harvesting, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) farm scientists said, "farmers should wait for 2-3 days more for harvesting as threat of rains and hailstorms still loom large otherwise damage to crop could be more," Punjab Agriculture Universtity Wheat section Incharge Indu Sharma said.
"After rains, farmers wait for another day for drying the crop in sunshine (to bring down the moisture content to specifications)," she said.
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