IMD Advices Farmers to Harvest Mature Crops Before Rain & Hailstorms

Indian Meteorological Department has also directed farmers in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra to harvest their mature crops of wheat, mustard, and pulses.

According to an advisory issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday, banana bunches should be supported with bamboo or polypropylene sticks, and newly planted vegetables/creeper vegetables should be staked. "Use skirting bags or aluminium coated paper to protect grape bunches from rain," it advised central Maharashtra farmers.

Due to the expected rainfall in the next few days, all farmers should avoid irrigation and any type of chemical spray, according to the statement.

"We issued the advisory for farmers because isolated thunderstorms, lightning, squall, and hailstorm were predicted over sub-Himalayan West Bengal, northeast on March 15, over east Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, central Maharashtra during March 16-17, and over Bihar, Jharkhand, Gangetic West Bengal on March 17," an IMD official said.

Meanwhile, rain, icy winds, and lightning struck many parts of Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday evening. On March 16, the local weather office issued a yellow warning, predicting thunderstorms and lightning, accompanied by hailstorms in isolated locations in Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Solan, and Sirmaur districts, as well as a wet spell until March 21.

"While high temperatures, which could have harmed the standing wheat crop, have been ruled out, the recent forecast for a hailstorm has raised concerns about crop damage. "The extent of damage cannot be predicted because hailstorms are not uniform over a field," said S. K. Singh, a former agriculture scientist.

Isolated hailstorm is expected over Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, and Himachal Pradesh on March 16-17, Uttarakhand on March 15-19, Haryana and west Uttar Pradesh on March 17, and north Rajasthan on March 17-19, according to an IMD bulletin.