Wheat harvesting picks up in Una

Our Correspondent

UNA, APRIL 23

The soaring temperature has prompted maturing and drying up of the wheat crop in most parts of Una district. Consequently, farmers have begun harvesting the cash crop in right earnest.

Omkar Singh, a farmer from Rampur village, said though thundershowers and strong winds on Saturday had briefly halted the harvesting, it has again picked up as the weather forecast has not predicted rainfall during the next one week.

However since the agriculture fields are small and undulating in Una district which falls in the the Lower Shivalik ranges, heavy machinery for harvesting cannot be used. Chaman Lal from Kuthar village said the process was labour intensive and daily wagers are not only hard to find, but also expensive during the harvesting season.

Wheat is the main cash crop for the farmers of Una district, which is also referred to as the food bowl of the state. The golden grain is sown on almost 50,000 hectare area and intermittent rainfall has assured a more than average crop yield this year.