Rain, hailstorm damage wheat, mustard and barley crops in Haryana

Farmers said on Friday that fields have been inundated due to the rain and hailstorm

Unseasonal rainfall and hailstorm have damaged mustard, barley and wheat crops in Haryana’s Rohtak, Bhiwani, Sirsa, Fatehabad and Charkhi Dadri districts, leaving farmers distressed.

Mustard crop damaged due to the hailstorm at Jitpura village in Charkhi Dadri district of Haryana on Friday and (right) a carpet of hail at a house in Charkhi Dadri. (HT Photo)

Farmers said on Friday that fields have been inundated due to the rain and hailstorm.

“The rains have severely damaged crops. For the third time, we have to sow wheat. This is a big loss for farmers. This might benefit some farmers but definitely most of us have been affected,” said Suresh Kumar, a farmer in Rohtak district.

Some farmers said the sowing of wheat had been delayed this time due to shortage of labour.

“The unseasonal rainfall and hailstorm have left us worried. As it is, the process of sowing wheat is running behind schedule due to lack of labour. No farmer has benefited, the inclement weather has only caused us loss,” said Chattar Singh, another farmer from Charkhi Dadri district.

Farmers said the unseasonal rains have damaged crops multiple times, forcing them to start the sowing again. “It took us three days to sow the wheat which was all destroyed by the weather. Now we have to start sowing again,” said farmer Brijesh Kumar.

The weather department has forecast rain and thunderstorm in Punjab and Haryana till Saturday. Next week, fog in the morning and partly cloudy skies later in the day are forecast in both the states.

ML Khichar, head of department (HOD) of meteorology and agriculture expert at Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agriculture University (CCSHAU) told Hindustan Times, “Light to moderate rain is expected on Saturday also.Farmers are advised to stop watering their field.”