Much-delayed winter rains likely to benefit standing rabi crops: Experts

The rains, as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD), were fairly widespread and extended right up to north-west and central India

Delhi and its adjoining northern and central parts of the country woke up to a cold and wet day on Friday as the whole region experienced a long-awaited wet spell in December this year.

 

The mild-to-moderate rains, accompanied by slow winds, pulled the chill up by a few notches. However, the rains could come as a boon for the standing rabi crop, particularly wheat and mustard, that has been seeing a long dry spell since October. Rabi crops are sown in the winter months, typically between October and December, and harvested in the spring, between April and June.

 

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the widespread rains are likely to continue on Saturday as well.

 

“So far, Delhi has received around 3 centimetres of rainfall and our assessment is that the showers will continue even during the night and might subside from tomorrow noon onwards,” as a senior Met department official said.

 

He said there have been reports of some hailstorm in west Madhya Pradesh, Chandigarh, and Hisar in Haryana but they haven’t been very widespread. 

 

“Considering the fact that most parts of North India were totally devoid of any rain since early October, and this being the season’s first winter rains should augur well for the standing rabi crop,” the Met official said.

 

The standing wheat crop, which has, in several regions, reached the growing stage, could specifically be benefitted from the recent spell of light rains and it might even save the farmer one irrigation cycle, experts said.

 

As per the latest sowing data, the area covered under wheat has matched the normal acreage of the last five years during the week ending December 20, which could mean a regular harvest, provided the weather remains benign over the next few months.

 

Data shows that till last week, wheat has been sown in around 31.22 million hectares of land, which is 2.46 per cent more than the area covered during the same period last year and almost at the same level of the last five years. In the last five years, wheat has been usually sown in around 31.23 million hectares of land.

 

Meanwhile, among other rabi crops, data shows that acreage of mustard seed is less than last year but more than the normal acreage, while that of gram is more than last year but less than the five years’ average acreage.