Unseasonal Showers Put Crops at Risk, IMD Warns Farmers

In different parts of India, the recent rain spells in Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Telangana and the prediction of more rainfall in the upcoming days have disturbed the farmers as they are worried about their crops which are ready to be harvested and also about the yield lying in the markets.

In Punjab, since the beginning of the procurement season on April 1, 2023, about 55,000 tonnes of wheat have been delivered to the mandis (wholesale markets) run by the agricultural output marketing committee in 22 districts.

Additionally, there is a risk of water damage to the 5.2 million tonnes of purchased wheat that are waiting to be removed from the mandis. And, approximately 46% of the wheat purchased to date has been unlifted, and more farmers are bringing their yield to the mandis every day.

Meanwhile, standing crops that are in the final stages of grain filling have also been harmed by rain and strong winds. The plants lodge or fall in strong winds. The agriculture department has advised the farmers to protect their crops that had sown late-maturing varieties.

As per the data by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) which has issued an orange alert predicting heavy rainfall in the states. 5 out of 22 districts in the states have received excessive rainfall in the last week.

Bharat Dighole, President of Maharashtra Rajya Kanda Utpadak Sanghatana informed that over an area of 3.49 million hectares in Punjab during the Rabi season, farmers have sown wheat. And, in Maharashtra, near about 20 per cent of the standing onion crops have also got harmed due to the untimely rainfall. The IMD has predicted more rainfall in the state in the upcoming days.

Also, Dighole said that the rains have been continuing since March, and farmers who harvested their onions after that have suffered huge losses due to the quality of the crop deteriorating.

Meanwhile, in Madhya Pradesh, farmers have reported damage to moong and horticulture crops they had sown as summer crops which are grown in the Indian subcontinent between the Rabi and Kharif seasons.

Moreover, in mandis inadequate infrastructure facilities have increased the farmers’ misery.