Untimely rain, winds hit kharif crop in Kandi belt

Arteev Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 29

Untimely rain accompanied by low-velocity winds have left farmers in Kandi belt (rainfed areas) of Jammu region worried as they fear extensive loss to kharif crops due to prevailing inclement weather conditions. The main kharif crops grown in Kandi belt include paddy, maize, bajra pearl millet, pulse, including ‘mah ki dal’ (whole black lentils), vegetables and fodder.

“Inclement weather has already delayed the harvesting of kharif crops, particularly maize and bajra, in Kandi belts. The fresh spell of rain along with low-velocity winds has increased our worries as it will cause heavy loss to maize, bajra and fodder crops,” Deepak Kumar, an anxious farmer of Challar village in Nagrota Assembly segment said.

Dharam Pal, another farmer in Kishenpur of block, Dansal, regretted, “Even rain with low-velocity wind is quite unsuitable for standing maize and bajra crop at this time. We fear heavy losses to other Kharif crops, including pulses, as well. The farmers have been suffering losses for the past few years and they had sown maize crop, hoping to come out of the quagmire. And now, untimely rain has broken their back”.

According to weathermen, Jammu district experienced 92.2 mm rain while Samba and Kathua districts reported over 100 mm rainfall in the past two days.

Dr Mahender Singh, Senior Scientist & Incharge, Agrometeorological Research Centre, at the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences (SKUAST), Jammu, said, “Rain at this point of time is not suitable and beneficial for kharif crops, especially maize and whole black lentils. The prevailing weather conditions have even affected the flowering of sesame seed crop (an oil seed crop)”.

“Many Kharif crops have already attained maturity. It rained heavily this year. Monsoon season, which generally recedes by September 15-20, is yet to withdraw from the state. The erratic distribution of rain has affected kharif crops. We are expecting more rain in the days to come,” the Senior Scientist said.

The sown area under kharif crops had come down by nearly 15 per cent this year due to the deficit in rainfall at the time of sowing in Jammu province, comprising 10 districts.

The main kharif crops of the Jammu region including paddy, maize, pulses, vegetables and fodder, cover 78 per cent of the net sown area (NSA). As per an official document, maize is grown in 3.19 lakh hectares, followed by paddy in 2.58 lakh hectares and pulses in 0.30 lakh hectares. Pulses are mostly grown in the Kandi belts of Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Reasi, Udhampur, Rajouri and Poonch.