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Thunderstorm in south Punjab leaves wheat growers worried
Field staff deployed to assess extent of crop damage as winds with velocity of up to 92kmph sweep across Malwa
A strong thunderstorm swept across south Punjab on Tuesday night and led to the lodging of wheat crop ahead of next week’s harvest season besides damaging kinnow orchards where trees are in the early fruit bearing stage.
Bathinda and adjoining districts also got mild rainfall after the high-velocity wind.
It’s the second spell of rough weather in a fortnight when the semi-arid region has faced untimely rains and gusty winds.
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Farm experts say irrigated wheat fields, or the late sown varieties are likely to face maximum damage.
According to Punjab Agricultural University’s observatory at the Bathinda-based regional research centre, south Malwa witnessed winds with a velocity of up to 92.6 kmph on Tuesday evening.
The winds damaged vegetable and mustard crops in the final stage of harvest.
Ripened wheat not prone to damage: Expert
Mansa chief agriculture officer Manjit Singh said ripened wheat plants lose weight and they are not prone to much damage despite strong winds. Preliminary inputs don’t suggest any major crop loss due to the storm, he said.
“Major rabi crop of the region is in the last phase of maturity and no widespread damage is expected from the thunderstorm. Field staff has been deployed to assess the extent of the crop damage,” he said.
May delay harvest but not expected to hit yield
Farmer Budh Singh of Bibiwala village in Bathinda’s periphery said the storm caused lodging of up to 60% of his wheat field on Tuesday night.
Gurjit Romana, a farmer from Danewala Satkosi village near Abohar in Fazilka district, said the dust storm lasted for 40 minutes. “Kinnow orchards were worst hit, while lodging of mustard plants occurred,” he said.
Balwinder Tikka, a progressive farmer from Malout in Muktsar district, said waterlogging in the low-lying fields will delay the wheat harvest.
“The crop has been flattened in several areas though eventually a bumper yield is expected,” he said, adding that the inclement weather at this stage is a concern.
