The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday advised farmers in Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh to postpone harvesting of matured crops, and keep already-harvested produce in safe places or cover them in the field with tarpaulin sheets to protect it from likely fresh spell of rainfall and thunderstorm over North-East from March 29.
For farmers in Jammu, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana and a few other States from northern India, the IMD suggested resumption of harvesting of matured crops during clear weather.
“A fresh spell of rainfall and thunderstorm beginning from March 29 will impact Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, West Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha and Chhattisgarh,” the IMD said.
“Strong wind/hail may damage plantation, horticulture and standing crops,” the IMD said in its advisory to farmers.
In its bulletin, the IMD advised to postpone sowing of maize in Arunachal Pradesh and drain out excess water from crop fields.
“Provide mechanical support to horticultural crops and staking to vegetables,” it added.
According to the Union Ministry of Agriculture, India’s wheat production in 2023 is expected to be a record 112 million tonnes as good weather pushed the acreage under the staple to 34.1 million hectares, 12 per cent higher than the
The country as a whole has recorded 29 per cent more than normal cumulative rainfall so far in March.
The western disturbance-induced rains provided respite from high temperatures, but sent farmers scrambling to protect their crops. The unseasonal rainfall and hailstorm have already damaged the standing crops including wheat, gram, coriander and cumin seeds (jeera) in northwest, east and north India. The State Governments have started to assess the damage of the standing crops.
So far, central India has reported the highest excessive rainfall in March, with 207 per cent more cumulative rainfall than normal in the month, followed by peninsular India (119 per cent more) and east & northeast India (22 per cent more).
The two rounds of hailstorm and rains with high wind speeds in Haryana, Punjab and UP resulted in the loss of rabi (winter sown) crops, which are the principal crops in these areas.
In a related development, State-owned Food Corporation of India (FCI) on Monday said wheat sale at discounted rates via e-auction to bulk consumers, institutions and state governments has been stopped for now as procurement of the fresh crop begins next month.
Under the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS), the FCI has sold 33 lakh tonnes of wheat till March 15 through e-auction, out of which, buyers have lifted 31 lakh tonnes of the grain so far.
They have to lift the balance quantity by March 31. The Government aims to procure 34.15 million tonnes wheat in the 2023-24 marketing year starting April, higher than 18.79 million tonnes purchased in the previous year.
Wheat procurement had declined last year due to a fall in domestic production and higher exports. However, the Government has projected a record wheat production at 112.18 million tonnes in the 2023-24 crop year (July-June) as per the second estimate of the Agriculture Ministry.
India logged its hottest February in 2023 since record-keeping began in 1901, according to the India Meteorological Department.
March 2022 was the warmest ever and the third driest in 121 years. The year also saw the country’s third warmest April, eleventh warmest August and eighth warmest September since 1901.
