Untimely rains damage standing wheat crop
Subhashis Mittra-WIDE ANGLE
For the last few days, many parts of the country, especially in north and northwest India have been receiving unseasonal rains, hail and heavy winds due to western disturbances. The untimely rains and hailstorm have caused some damage to the standing wheat crop in key growing states.
The untimely rains were observed over wheat growing states of Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. There is, however, no concern about mustard and chickpea (chana) crops as most of it has been harvested. In the case of horticultural crops, localised hailstorms might have affected some crops like banana and potato.
Wheat is the main rabi crop, harvesting of which has started in some parts of the country. Mustard and chickpeas are other major rabi crops. The government has projected a record wheat output of 112.2 million tonnes for the 2022-23 crop year (July-June).
Some parts have received fewer rains and that would benefit the crop. However, two lakh-hectare of the area might have received heavy rainfall and hailstorms. But, even if some percentage damage happens in 2 lakh hectares of wheat area, it would hardly have any impact considering the total wheat acreage of 343.2 lakh hectares in the current year.
The IMD has advised farmers of Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana to postpone harvesting. Assam farmers have been asked to postpone harvesting of fruits and vegetables and move the already harvested produce to safer places immediately. Farmers have been told to postpone maize sowing in Sikkim and jute sowing in Sub-Himalayan West Bengal.
Farmers should drain out excess water from crop fields, provide mechanical support to horticultural crops and staking to vegetables, use hail nets to protect apple, pear, plum and peach orchards in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand and orchards in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, East Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
The central government will provide compensation under the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) if the state governments submit a report after assessing the extent of damage. So far, state governments are utilising the funds under the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF).
The state governments can use the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) for providing immediate relief to farmers after conducting the crop survey. The central government can provide more funds from the National Disaster Relief Fund after the submission of a memorandum.
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, however, said preliminary reports suggest that there is not much impact on standing rabi crops like wheat due to the current untimely rains and hailstorm. The minister, however, said that the Centre is yet to receive ground reports from the state governments.
Tomar said, "There is not much impact on rabi crops as per the preliminary assessment." The state governments are still assessing the damage to the standing rabi crops.
Agriculture Commissioner P K Singh said untimely rains were observed over wheat growing states of Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan in the last two days. Some parts have received fewer rains and that would benefit the crop. However, two lakh-hectare of the area might have received heavy rainfall and hailstorms. "The assessment of the damage is being made by the state governments which will submit a report in the next 2-3 days," he said.
Even if some percentage damage happens in 2 lakh hectares of wheat area, Singh said it would hardly have any impact considering the total wheat acreage of 343.2 lakh hectares in the current year. In the case of mustard and chickpeas crops, most of these have been harvested. Mustard harvesting in some areas of Rajasthan and Haryana is still due, he added.
Singh said some of the horticultural crops are likely to have been impacted in areas with localised hailstorms. For example, banana and potato crops. Potato farmers have been asked to halt harvesting.