Tribune News Service
Ruchika M Khanna
Chandigarh, March 31
The ongoing spell of rain is predicted to delay the wheat harvest till Baisakhi although the wheat procurement season will start from Saturday.
Officials within the state authorities have mentioned as extra rain has anticipated within the coming days, farmers won’t harvest wheat crop, delaying its arrival out there and procurement. It is simply after the rain stops and the solar shines for 3 or 4 days that the crop will probably be dry and grow to be prepared for harvesting. Today, 13 districts witnessed rain with heavy rainfall being recorded in Patiala, Nawanshahr, Ropar, Fatehgarh Sahib and Barnala.
Fields inundated in muktsar
- Rain, accompanied by robust winds, lashed Muktsar district on Friday
- “Nearly 40 per cent crop had already been broken earlier, and now contemporary rain has completely destroyed the crop. We labored arduous for the previous few days to clear the fields, however these are once more inundated. The total crop is flattened,” mentioned farmers.
Food and Supply Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak mentioned the harvest was anticipated to be delayed by per week to 10 days. He admitted that the yield would even be affected, particularly within the Malwa area, due to the premature rain.
This 12 months, the federal government had set a goal to acquire 132 lakh metric tonnes of wheat. However, the rain and high-velocity winds that swept the state final week has led to crop injury. It is now estimated that the yield may come down by round 8 per cent as almost 15 per cent of wheat crop has been broken.
Principal Secretary Food and Supplies Gurkirat Kirpal Singh mentioned the federal government had made all preparations to acquire wheat in 1,800 mandis, moreover notifying 230 short-term market yards. “We have enough bales to pack and retailer the grain. Even the coated retailer for wheat has been organized with the Food Corporation of India stepping up the transportation of foodgrain saved in godowns right here to recipient states. A plan is in place to maneuver 20 lakh metric tonnes of grain out in April and one other 10 lmt in May,” he mentioned.
This time the federal government had introduced in two new ideas to cease the apply of wheat from outdoors being introduced right here to promote it at the next MSP. These are a car monitoring system via GPS and a web-based gate go system.
