Amritsar: Wheat stocked in grain markets soaked in rain

Amritsar, April 30

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Huge stocks of procured and unsold wheat lying at grain markets of the district were soaked in moderate showers in the region on Monday evening. The showers which continued for nearly 45 minutes also affected the wheat crop, especially in fields, which were flattened by previous rains.

Gopal Singh, a resident of Naushera Khurd village near here, said, “The grains which are still in wheat stalks have started to turn black as germination has started due to excess moisture.”

He said, “A large area under the crop is yet to be harvested. Farmers are worried that inclement weather conditions would further damage the crop.”

Another farmer from Pandoori village said nearly 25 per cent of grains were affected by rain. He said farmers would face problem at the time of crop procurement. He said untimely showers during the wheat season would affect the yield of the crop.

Meanwhile, huge stocks of wheat procured by the government procurement agencies lying at grain markets were soaked in the rain. Most stocks are vulnerable to rain as these are lying in the open.

Though 3.81 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of wheat crop has been procured in the district during the ongoing season, only 1.47 lakh MT has been lifted so far from mandis. With 61 per cent of the procured stocks lying in dana mandis, the showers have added to woes of commission agents and labourers.