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Rain adds to Punjab farmers’ woes amid Covid-19 crisis
Already grappling with acute labour shortage, farmers suffer as rain damages their standing crop as well as produce kept in the grain market.
Already grappling with acute labour shortage, farmers from across Punjab suffered crushing blow on Monday as thundershowers caused damage to the standing wheat crop.
Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) vice-chancellor Baldev Singh Dhillon said, “Not only was there damage to the standing crop, the produce kept in open in the grain markets and in the courtyards of farmers were also damaged.”
He said that the prolonged winter season followed by incessant rain in the month of March had delayed the ripening of wheat crop. “Now it would be difficult to harvest the crops with a combine. Besides, prolonged drying may lead to shattering of grains. Moreover, there is a fear of fungus and discolouration of grain that has dampened due to the rain,” said Dhillon.
Fortunately, there has been no report of hailstorm or strong wind, otherwise the wheat crops would have suffered an irreparable loss.
On the other hand, Harbans Singh Rosha, chairman market committee, Khanna Grain Market, the second biggest grain market in Asia, said that the rain has caused a double blow to farmers. “Already they are facing an acute shortage of labour, farmers’ problems have intensified due to the inclement weather conditions. We got the rain alert and kept the grain under shelter, but some grain markets have no sheds. At those places, the grain may catch moisture which may result in loss to the farmer,” said Rosha.
Anup Singh Grewal, a farmer, said the rain has further delayed the harvesting process by a few more days. “But the bad news is that the meteorological department has predicted rain for the coming days too,” said Grewal.
Prabhjyot Kaur Sidhu, head of the department of the school of climate change and agricultural meteorology, PAU, said that till 5.30pm on Monday, 3.6mm rainfall was recorded. The rain led to a dip in the temperature. While the maximum temperature was recorded at 31.2 degree Celsius, the minimum temperature was 18.4 degree Celsius.
She said that as per the weather forecast available, April 21 and 22 will remain dry while light to moderate rainfall is likely at isolated places thereafter.
