Mustard growers worried after rain lashes across Haryana
Haryana mustard growers are worried after rain lashed in several parts of the mustard growing belt on Thursday
Haryana mustard growers are worried after rain lashed in several parts of the mustard growing belt on Thursday. In many areas, the mustard crop flattened and lost petals (flower dropping) due to gusty winds but there was no report of crop damage due to hailstorm.
As per the Haryana government’s ‘Meri Fasal, Mera Byora’ portal, a step mandatory for procurement of crops, 14.21 lakh acre land has been registered under mustard crop of total 52.44 lakh acre registered area by February 3. Haryana has 89 lakh acre area under cultivation of various crops.
Mai Lal Dhatarwal, a farmer from Bhiwani, said his mustard crop on 18 acre witnessed flower dropping and it flattened due to high velocity winds.
“If rainfall and gusty winds continue, most of the mustard will see flower dropping resulting in less seed generation. The seed formation has just begun and clear weather is required now, instead of rainfall. Continued rainfall will damage mustard crop. We are praying to God that this rainfall stops. We are expecting clear weather. The crop is good till now and we are expecting bumper production. We have never seen such good mustard crop since 1997,” the farmer added.
Vikas Sheoran, a farmer from Charkhi Dadri district, said every year, unseasonal rainfall in February continues to be a spoiler for them.
“We want rain to stop otherwise our crop will be damaged due to absence of sunlight. Gusty winds are harmful at this time as they shake the petals. Our crop will be ready for harvest by March 10. Seed formation has started and it requires clear weather. Foggy weather is good for mustard crop but continued rainfall is bad. Every year, our crop gets damaged due to hailstorm in February and we don’t want this to happen this year too,” Sheoran added.
Bhiwani deputy director (agriculture) Atma Ram Godara said rainfall is beneficial for the wheat crop but it could be harmful for mustard if rain continues for the next three days.
“Due to continued rain, the steam will be damaged, resulting in lesser yield per acre. We have not received any complaint of crop damage due to hailstorm and other reasons so far. Gusty winds have damaged petals but that is a normal process in farming,” the DDA added.
ML Khichar, who heads the agricultural meteorology department at Hisar’s agriculture varsity, said rainfall is likely to be witnessed at isolated places in Haryana on Friday and the weather will be clear bby February 5.