Insufficient Rains Cause Damage to Rabi Harvest in Himachal

According to recent reports, the extended dry spell in Himachal Pradesh has severely harmed the rabi crops, with the Hamirpur district of the hill state suffering the largest loss of approximately Rs 2,857 lakhs.

Field officials from all over the state reported that out of 4,01,853 hectares, crops on 85,538.20 hectares of land have been harmed by insufficient rains.

Up to 33 percent of Rabi crops in five districts including Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Mandi, Shimla, and Sirmaur have suffered the damage.

According to a spokesperson of the state's agriculture department, the overall loss to the crop has been estimated at Rs 9,462 lakh in ten out of the state's 12 districts, excluding the tribal regions of Kinnaur and Lahaul & Spiti.

The crop loss has been estimated to be less than 33 percent in the remaining five districts.

The weather has been particularly harsh in rain-fed regions and the absence of rain has had an impact on the crops of wheat, barley, and peas.

The latter noted that the most impacted areas are those where producers were totally reliant on rainfall for irrigation.

He urged farmers to take good care of their crops and speak with agricultural experts about the best course of action to take to prevent total crop damage.

Moreover, from January 1 to February 28 and from March 1 to March 8, respectively, the state experienced an overall rain shortfall of about 36 percent and 84 percent, while the deficit reached nearly 100 percent in December 2022.