Farmers in distress as rain flattens crop

The recent spell of rainfall over the past two days (53mm in Karnal in the past 24 hours alone) has left the farmers worrisome in the region as it has flattened the standing paddy crop. The farmers are anticipating that the grain may turn black and the yield may also be reduced.

Agriculture experts said the early paddy varieties are at ripening stage, while the mid and late sowing varieties are at flowering and grain filling stage. The current climatic condition may adversely affect the crop by causing seed yield losses and also the discolouration of grains.

“The early and short duration paddy varieties such as PB-1509, PR-126 and others are already at maturity stage, which have been flattened due to the rainfall. The mid and long duration varieties of PR and basmati group are at heading and flowering stages where pollen will be washed away and it may cause poor seed setting and grains filling processes,” said Dr Virender Lather, former principal scientist, Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), Delhi. He said it will lead to manifold increase in incidences of diseases and pests. The flattening of crop has left the farmers worrisome as they are expecting more rainfall in the next five to six days.

“The rainfall has caused damage to our paddy crop. I was to harvest it in the next 10-12 days, but the rainfall has flattened the crop. It may discolour the grains and further affect the production,” said Om Parkash, a farmer who was reviewing the impact of rainfall on the crop in his field.

Devender Singh, another farmer, said his crops have been flattened by the rainfall. “The farming community is already facing a lot of problems. Late monsoon rainfall has increased the woes of farmers. We request the government to relax the norms for the procurement of paddy,” he added.

Jatinder Kumar, a farmer of Staundi village, said his paddy crop on nearly 12 acres has been flattened due to the heavy rainfall which lashed the region on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday. “If the rains continue, the situation will only get worse,” he said, adding that discolouring of the grains will lead to lower prices in the market.