With unusual widespread rains and high velocity winds lashing the northern region, about 10-20 per cent of timely sown wheat crop, which has got flattened, could face yield loss, say experts.
Punjab and Haryana, which are major foodgrain growing states, have about 35 lakh hectares and 25 lakh hectares of area, respectively, under wheat in the current rabi season.
Heavy rains today continued to lash most parts of Punjab and Haryana. Punjab has received an average rainfall of 34 mm with maximum rainfall witnessed in Ropar (73 mm), Patiala (57 mm) Mohali (65 mm), NawanShahar (66mm) and Tarn Taran (43 mm).
In Haryana, a few blocks such as Nuh in Mewat, Ganaur in Sonepat, received rainfall of 71 and 80 mm respectively.
"There has been lodging in timely sown wheat crop because of ongoing rains and strong winds. About 10-20 per cent of the crop which has got flattened may get damaged," Karnal-based Indian Institute of Wheat & Barley Research, Director, Indu Sharma told PTI.
Lodging refers to the term used to describe crop falling flat on the ground due to heavy rain and winds which causes yield loss in crop.
Wheat crop at several places, including Amritsar, Ferozepur, Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Patiala, Mohali, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Nawanshahr in Punjab and a few districts Sirsa, Jhajjar, Sonepat, Kurukshetra in Haryana has got flattened because of rains and high velocity winds, officials of Punjab and Haryana agriculture departments said here today.
Because of continuous rains in past two days, the fields in some of wheat-growing areas in both states have been submerged in water, raising fear of major crop loss.
"Excess water has entered fields because of rains and it should immediately be drained out by farmers. Otherwise the water will damage plants and then yield loss could be more," Sharma warned.
Farm experts have also warned of attack of fungal disease stripe rust or yellow rust on wheat crop. This is because of weather conditions and they have advised farmers to monitor the crop regularly to prevent any damage from disease.
Wheat growers in Punjab and Haryana have sought compensation for damaged wheat and vegetable crops because of excessive rains.
"Wheat crop has got flattened because of rains and winds. Our fields are inundated with excess water which has caused extensive damage to plants. We feel the crop loss is in 40-50 per cent range," rued Vijay Kapoor, a progressive grower from village Pabana Hassanpur in Karnal district of Haryana.
Kapoor wants the state government to carry out assessment of crop loss for announcing compensation to growers.
"We are in the process of estimating any crop loss took place in the state," said an official of Haryana Agriculture department.
Besides wheat, farmers in Punjab and Haryana have said vegetable crops like potato, tomato and sunflower have got damaged due to incessant rains.
