Untimely rain damages wheat crop

Jaswant Shetra

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 18

Heavy rain which lashed the region on Friday damaged the wheat crop stocked at Jagraon grain market. Though majority of the wheat has been purchased by procurement agencies but a huge stock has been lying at the grain market due to tardy lifting process.

As a result, tonnes of wheat crop which was yet to be lifted from the grain market got damaged.

Untimely rain also exposed the claims of the Jagraon Market Committee officials related to the arrangements.

Labourers working at the grain market tried their best to save the wheat crop. However, they found themselves helpless due to shortage of tarpaulin covers.

Jagraon grain market which is the second largest grain market in Asia after Khanna grain market was seen flooded with rainwater and bags of wheat could be spotted lying in the water.

“The wheat crop is procured by the government agencies. However, huge stock of crop is lying at the grain market due to slow lifting process. Several tonnes of wheat crop got damaged due to rain,” informed a commission agent on condition of anonymity.

Jagraon Market Committee secretary Gurmatpal Singh admitted that the wheat crop got wet due to sudden rain but denied that farmers suffered any loss.

“We covered most of the wheat stock as soon it began raining. No farmer suffered loss. The entire wheat crop is purchased by the procurement agencies,” he said.