Ambala: Paddy growers anxious over uncertain weather

Tribune News Service

Nitish Sharma

Ambala, September 17

The uncertain weather conditions and the incessant rains have left the paddy growers worried as it has put the harvesting of matured crop on hold besides drenching the harvested produce. The farmers said the rain had delayed the harvesting of the matured crop and if the unfavourable weather persists, it would also impact the late varieties.

Will delay harvesting

The weather is not good for the paddy crop and the untimely rain will delay the harvesting like previous year. If the weather continues to be unfavourable, the farmers will face difficulty in harvesting and there will be a threat of lodging too, which will have a bad impact on the grain. Pradeep Chauhan, a farmer from sambhalkha village

Rajiv Kumar, a farmer from Hasanpur village, said: “My paddy crop is ready for harvesting and I had made all arrangements to start harvesting from Monday. But the rain has delayed harvesting. It will also delay the sowing of potato crop.”

Tejveer Singh, a farmer from Panjokhra village, said: “The current weather conditions will not only cause trouble for the paddy farmers, but for the potato farmers too, who had planned to harvest their paddy crop and sow potato. If the weather persists, it will have impact on the yield and the quality. Our crop in nearly 12 acres was near maturing, but the rain has delayed harvesting.”

Similarly, in Kurukshetra, the untimely rains have left the farmers high and dry.

Prince Waraich from Pehowa said: “The farmers have already suffered heavy losses due to floods this year and now the rains are testing the patience. In several areas the crop has also flattened due to winds. The condition is more stressful for the farmers whose harvested crop has got drenched in the grain markets.” As per the information, about 70,000 quintal stock of PR variety have reached at various grain markets of Kurukshetra till September 16, and about 37,000 quintal stocks have arrived at the grain markets of Ambala district.

District Marketing Enforcement Officer (DMEO) for Ambala and Kurukshetra, Rajiv Chaudhary, said: “The arrivals have started at the grain markets but it has been sluggish so far. The rain has delayed the harvesting further. All arrangements are in place and procurement will be started as per the directions.”

Ambala Deputy Director Agriculture Jasvinder Singh said: “The weather is not good for the matured crop. Of the total, about 20 per cent is at maturing stage. There is no threat for the late varieties so far but in case of incessant rains accompanied by strong winds, the late variety may also suffer loss.”

#Ambala