Rain flattens wheat crop

Manmeet Singh Gill

Amritsar, March 20

Due to fast winds coupled with showers, flattening of wheat crop has been reported in various parts of the district in the past couple of days. Different pockets of the region received mild to heavy rainfall on Monday too, which has worried wheat growers.

Farmers said rain is more damaging when the crop has already flattened. “Showers on the flattened crop increase the chances of germination of the grains as they are already touching the ground. Waterlogging in fields due to rain can add to the damage,” said a farmer, Gurnam Singh, from Ajnala.

They said early this season, unusually high temperature had resulted in shrinking of the grains and they are anticipating a huge decrease in the yield. “Now, when the crop is getting ready for harvesting and it does not require any irrigation, it has started to rain,” said another farmer Kuljeet Singh. The harvesting of wheat crop in the area normally starts during the second fortnight of April.

While the showers have helped in bringing the temperature down and people have got a respite from the rising mercury, farmers might have to pay a heavy price due to unpredictable weather. The meteorological forecast too has warned of more rain in the coming days.

Chief Agriculture Officer Dr Jatinder Singh Gill said: “The overall rainfall in the region so far is mild. But as forecasts have predicted, there could be more rain.” He said assessment regarding the damage caused to the wheat fields is being made. He said farmers had also been advised to drain out excess water accumulated in their fields.