Tribune News Service
New Delhi/Sangrur, April 6
In extra bother for farmers, flattened wheat crop has began turning black at some locations in Punjab. Farmers worry it might be a fungus assault. Agriculture officers are visiting affected fields whereas farmers have demanded fast launch of monetary support for the loss attributable to the latest rain and hailstorm.
“First the roots turned black resulting from waterlogging and now crops have additionally began turning black. Green fungus can also be there as we didn’t take away rainwater,” stated Megh Singh, a farmer from Mangwal village.
Field reviews awaited
Based on area reviews, we’ll chill out the norms for procurement. —A senior officer
Another farmer, Labh Singh, stated after rain and robust winds flattened wheat crop and triggered waterlogging, crops had misplaced grain too.
“The grain has shrunk and there’s no chance of its restoration. Many farmers are hoping towards hope, however the truth is now we have misplaced our crop,” he stated.
During a go to to varied fields at Thalesa, Mangwal and Bhalwan, farmers stated the Punjab Government ought to take fast steps to compensate them. In the Moonak space too, BKU (Ugrahan) chief Rinku Moonak stated wheat had turned black in low-lying areas.
“Wheat has turned black in low-lying areas solely. We are assessing the crop loss,” stated Harbans Singh, Chief Agriculture Officer, Sangrur.
Meanwhile, because of the large harm to the wheat crop in Punjab and Haryana, the Union Government’s estimate of a document wheat manufacturing of 112.8 million tonnes this 12 months was unlikely to be achieved, sources stated. They stated 16 of the 23 districts in Punjab had reported crop harm.
In the wake of the harm to the wheat crop simply earlier than harvesting, the Punjab and Haryana governments have urged the Centre to chill out the procurement norms. The Centre has already despatched groups to main wheat-producing states, together with Punjab and Haryana. “Based on the sphere reviews, we’ll chill out the norms for procurement. Teams are amassing samples from Punjab and Haryana. We will get the reviews by Sunday,” stated a senior officer.
Sanjeev Chopra, Secretary, Department of Food and Public Distribution, stated, “There shall be solely a marginal loss within the general manufacturing within the nation because the harm to the crop in Punjab and Haryana shall be compensated by the bumper manufacturing in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The main affect of the inclement climate shall be on the standard, not amount, of wheat.”