Ground frost hits potato, tomato crops in Punjab, Haryana

With cold wave sweeping across North India, ground frost has caused damage to potato and tomato crops in certain parts of Punjab and Haryana, which may adversely impact yield of vegetable crops, experts said today.
However, freezing weather conditions remained favourable for wheat crop with farm experts saying it will boost its productivity.
Freezing weather conditions have been prevailing in Punjab and Haryana with minimum temperature remaining below normal by several notches. Meteorological department has again issued warning of ground frost in next two days.
"Potato crop in certain parts of potato growing belt in Punjab has got damaged because of ground frost which occurred various areas in northern region. It will certainly impact crop's yield," Punjab Horticulture Director L S Brar told PTI.

"At this point of time, normally yield of crop goes up but now frost has eliminated this possibility," he said.
Potato growers pointed out that about 10-15 per cent of potato crop sown in the state was affected due to ground frost.

"The impact of frost has been visible on seed potato crop which covers the major portion of the sowing at this stage," said Jalandhar based leading potato grower Sukhjit Singh Bhatti.
"We expect there will be a loss of about 10-15 per cent in overall yield of potato crop," he said.
Punjab grows potato at 84,000 hectares of area with over 60 per cent being covered by seed potato crop and overall output of 21 lakh tonnes.

Ground frost has taken a toll on tomato crop in neighbouring state Haryana with crop being completely damaged in certain tracts of land.
"Yes, ground frost has hit tomato crop in some areas of Haryana, including Mewat and Karnal," a senior official of Haryana Horticulture Department said here.
"In Mewat alone, 400 acres of land under tomato was badly affected by ground frost," the official said, adding that farmers were complaining of crop getting damaged because of ground frost.
About 20,000 hectares of land is under tomato crop in Haryana.
However, chilling weather conditions remain favourable for wheat crop with experts saying that it would have a positive impact on overall yield of the crop.

"Current weather conditions are good for wheat crop. It will help the crop in development of grain", said Indu Sharma, Project Director, Karnal based Directorate of Wheat Research.
However, Sharma said a spell of rain at this stage in rain fed areas including hilly areas in North India was necessary for wheat crop.