| Unseasonal rains to adversely affect food production | | 50% vegetable, 20-30% wheat crop destroyed | |
G S Asgotra
Early Times Report
Jammu, Mar 16: The dependency of food deficit state like Jammu and Kashmir is likely to increase further on import of food grains from other states as the unseasonal rains are likely to reduce wheat production in state as majority of irrigated belts are badly impacted.
Moreover, the erratic rainfall has also badly impacted the vegetables and wheat and nearly 50 percent vegetables and 20-30 percent of wheat crop is destroyed in the rains.
According to officials of Agriculture Production Department due to highly erratic weather conditions this year, frequent and untimely rains at the time of flowering of the wheat crop had also enhanced the probability of getting Karnal bunt infection in the wheat crop and the department had also instructed the farmers to use spray.
A senior official of Agriculture department informed that due to excessive rainfall, the low lying areas witnessed water logging, due to which the wheat crop would turn pale. "In Kathua, Hirnagar, Samba, RS Pura, Akhnoor and all other irrigated regions of state, water logging is being reported and wheat crop has turned pale and it will definitely impact the production", he said, adding that in the Kandi belt of state, the rains would prove beneficial to crop.
He further said that the erratic rainfall has badly impacted the vegetable crops. "The seeds of vegetable crops, which are recently sown will not germinate while the vegetable crop in early sowing period is also badly damaged. This is flowering season for vegetables, fruits and due to erratic rainfall flowers have fallen", he said, adding that the exact impact would only be estimated after few days.
Another official said, "Due to western disturbance, erratic rainfall in entire Jammu region is reported on March 15 and March 16 and there are reports that the rainfall will continue in coming days", adding that the rainfall would impact all type of crops.
Deputy Director of Agriculture production Department Jammu, Chander Mohan Sharma said that from Jourian to Samba, major losses have been reported.
"In district Kathua and in Hiranagar belt, till March 15, estimated losses to wheat and vegetables were 5 to 10 percent. But from today morning, we are getting reports that losses are increasing", he said.
He further said that forecasting issued by Metrological Department was almost correct.
"If the forecast of rains on March 21 and March 22 will be right, the losses will increase more", he said, adding that whenever the weather would improve, they would start survey of losses incurred by farmers. |
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