Punjab stares at 15% decline in wheat yield

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 25

The untimely rain, accompanied by hail and high-velocity winds, has severely damaged the wheat crop across the state.

As per the estimates of the Agriculture Department, Punjab may see a 10 to 15 per cent yield loss this wheat harvesting season. A total of 34.90 lakh hectares is under wheat in the state.

Fazilka is among the districts which have seen the maximum damage. As per reports sent by field staff, 50 per cent of the wheat crop has been affected.

In Moga, Bathinda, Mansa, Muktsar, Ferozepur, Kapurthala and Patiala districts, crop on 15 to 20 per cent area under wheat has been damaged by the harsh weather. The Director, Agriculture, Dr Gurvinder Singh, said as per initial estimates, wheat harvesting is expected to be 10 to 15 per cent less this year.

Pavneet Kaur Kingra, head of the department of climate change and agricultural meteorology, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), said rain alone did not cause much harm, but the winds that accompanied it wreaked havoc.

“I am worried strong winds and rain at this stage of the crop will delay harvesting. Lodging will delay harvesting and can lead to losses this year. The government should ensure compensation to the affected farmers of the region,” said Gurmukh Singh, a farmer from Samrala.

“Last night there was heavy rain, which flattened the wheat crop. Besides, waterlogging has made things difficult for us. Wheat is likely to rot,” said Surjeet Singh, a farmer from Mangwal village in Sangrur.

Wheat crop was flattened at several villages in Bathinda and Mansa districts following a hailstorm accompanied by untimely rain and high-velocity winds for the past two days.

The flattening of the crop has left farmers worried. They were seen visiting their fields to assess the damage.

Farm bodies are seeking compensation for the crop loss. BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) leader Shingara Singh Mann claimed that the harvest would be delayed and farmers would have to shell out more due to the flattening of the crop.

Gurpreet Singh, Chief Agriculture Officer, Muktsar, said the major loss to the wheat crop was witnessed in Malout and Lambi blocks. “As per a preliminary estimate, wheat crop on nearly 90,000 hectares has been affected in the district,” he said.

Fazilka district bears the brunt

• Crop flattened by rain, high-velocity winds, farmers pitch for compensation
• 34.90 lakh hectares under wheat in the state
• Fazilka among districts with maximum damage
• In Moga, Bathinda, Mansa, Muktsar, Ferozepur, Kapurthala and Patiala districts, wheat crop on 15 to 20 per cent area damaged by rain

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