Rajasthan farmers rejoice at cold weather, say it's a boon for rabi crops

Rajasthan has been reeling under a severe cold wave, which has brought joy to the state’s farmers who believe the cold weather will only add to a better harvest of Rabi crops.

Commodity traders also feel that the production of Rabi crops will increase due to severe cold conditions.

“If along with the cold, there are one or two spells of rain in the coming week or so, it will certainly help increase crop production in the state,” said Ajju Meena, a farmer in the Shivdaspura area near Jaipur.

Wheat and barley trader KG Jhalani of Kukarkheda grain market in Jaipur says due to the ongoing cold wave, the production of wheat and barley is expected to improve slightly. “During severe cold, there is more dew which increases moisture in the ground, providing additional water to the crops, which helps in thickening the grains of wheat and barley,” Jhalani said.

 

Mustard trader Anil Chatar of Chandpole grain market in Jaipur said that the mustard crop will benefit due to the cold. He said the production is expected to increase by 3 to 4 per cent. “If this cold continues for the next 10-12 days and if there’s rain, then the production of mustard in the state can be good,” he said. Rajasthan is the largest producer of mustard.

Gram trader Shyam Natani said the cold should benefit gram, wheat, barley, mustard and cumin.

The sowing of crops reduced slightly this time due to the lack of monsoon rain. If it rains once or twice this winter season, the production of crops will be better, despite less sowing, Natani said, adding that farmers have to keep a watch on frost as it can damage the crops.

An agriculture department official said the frost can damage tomatoes, potatoes, chillis, brinjals, papayas, peas, gram, coriander, and fennel.

According to the agriculture department, in the current Rabi crop season till January 1, against a target of 3,100,000 hectares, wheat was sown in 91.98 per cent of the area, barley in 457,726 hectares, which is 125 per cent above the target fixed for 2023-24, gram in 1,938,881 hectares, around 92 per cent of the target, mustard in 3,621,249 hectares against a target area of 4,100,000.