Rain wreaks havoc on rabi crops

Sumit Hakhoo

Tribune News Service

Jammu, January 14

The recent spell of heavy rain and hailstorm have wreaked havoc to rabi and vegetable crops in Jammu region, leaving farmers worried. Last year, during the harvesting season, untimely rain had hit kharif crop.

In Kathua, Samba district, RS Pura, Bishnah, Suchetgarh, Marh, Akhnoor areas of Jammu district, considered as the “grain bowl” of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory, the heavy spell of rain has badly affected already sown wheat crop, mustard and pulses. Vegetable crops too have been destroyed in the fields.

The wheat crop, sown in November and December, showed yellowing of leaves.Reports suggested that farmers engaged in cultivation of strawberries, especially in Samba district, too had suffered damages.Although senior officials in the Agriculture Department say that a team of the Revenue Department and field functionaries of the Agriculture Department will assess the damage, but the farmers alleged that they had no expectations from the UT administration as they were yet to receive any relief for the damages suffered to their paddy crop.

“Much of the kharif crop was destroyed last year and now rabi crop has been facing threat from weather vagaries. Cultivators are on the verge of starvation if the government fails to support them. There is total apathy of the administration,” said Tejinder Singh, president, Kissan Union (J&K).

The cultivators said rains which inundated fields were likely to affect growth and yield of wheat crop. Unfortunately, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted another spell of rain from January 17.

The agro-meteorologist at SKUAST, Dr Mahinder Singh, said due to overcast sky and regular heavy rain, plants were not able to carry out photosynthesis. “Stagnation of water in the fields stops germination of seeds. Areas where seeds have been sown early, plants are not growing as expected. This means it will affect yield”, said Singh.