Rain continues to hamper wheat harvesting in Punjab, Haryana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh/Shimla/Jammu, April 16

Unseasonal rain continued to hamper wheat harvesting in Punjab and Haryana with farmers saying that they will not be able to recuperate from the loss.

Strong winds with rain last night caused damage to the standing crops in the region added to the woes of the farmers.

The wheat procurement process in Punjab and Haryana, which officially starts by April 1 and is usually in full swing by Baisakhi, has been delayed.

Rain coupled with hailstorm damaged the standing wheat crop in districts, including Ambala, Yamunnagar and Jind. 

In Jind, a farmer, Bhoop Singh from Kamalpur, allegedly tried to end his life apparently distressed over the damage to his crop due to unseasonal rains. He has been admitted to a private hospital.

Farmers in Uchana Kalan held a protest against the delay in wheat purchase, while at Mansa in Punjab, farmers cry foul over the lack of facilities in grain markets.

They said the rain has adversely affected their standing crop and grains that had arrived for procurement in the markets.

Farmers in Himachal are also a worried lot.

The farmers who are yet to recover from damage caused by rain in March and early April, fear heavy losses to standing wheat crop, ready for harvesting and stone fruits, which has crossed the bud-breaking stage.

“Rains are harmful not only for wheat crop, but also for vegetables and potato crop as dry weather and rise in temperature was needed,” said a farmer.

The Met office forecast baring April 18, Himachal will receive rain, thunderstorm and hailstorm till April 20.

The apple crop in Himachal Pradesh has also been severely affected by the unseasonal rain.

State horticulture department officials said continuous rain in mid-April was not good for the crop during the flowering stage.

Jammu and Kashmir also received a fresh spell of overnight rain, which continued till noon today.

While moderate rain lashed plains of Jammu and Kashmir, upper reaches witnessed heavy rainfall. Overnight rain was moderate across Kashmir and Jehlum River also remained quiet in Jammu, it was moderate to heavy in plains and hilly districts.

The Jammu region had received 387.6 per cent rain above normal in March this year, which had flattened standing wheat crop.

Normally, Jammu receives 68.2 mm of rainfall in March.

The weatherman has forecast light to moderate rain and thundershowers at many places over Jammu region and isolated places in Kashmir region.

The weather would mainly remain dry on April 17 and 18.

However, another Western Disturbance would affect the state from April 19 onwards.

The MeT Department has forecast partly cloudy sky with maximum and minimum temperatures around 26 degrees Celsius and 10 degrees Celsius respectively for Srinagar on April 17.

For Jammu, it would be mainly clear sky with maximum and minimum temperatures around 32 degrees Celsius and 20 degrees Celsius respectively on April 17.

For Leh, the department has forecast partly cloudy sky with maximum and minimum temperatures around 19 degrees Celsius and four degrees Celsius respectively.

Meanwhile, five farmers died of 'shock' in parts of Uttar Pradesh, all apparently seeing the damage to their crops due to unseasonal rains.