If the devastating monsoon caused natural disaster like flash flood in many parts of Uttarakhand last year inflicting huge damage to lives and properties, about 50 per cent less rainfall so far this year as compared to the corresponding period last year in the Himalayan State has also come as a cause of concern now for many.
As the present weather conditions have signaled, it may rain towards the fag end of this month, said Uttarakhand Meteorological Centre director Anand Sharma while talking to The Pioneer.However, nothing can be said about arrival of monsoon at this juncture as there are no such indications, he added.If the monsoon remains below expectation as experts have already predicted agriculture sector will be suffering the most.
With a majority of its cultivable land being rain-fed, Uttarakhand may have to face a tough time in carrying out the routine agricultural activities if the monsoon remains below normal. It would be premature to say that drought like conditions have come.
Early variety of crops may have some adverse impact due to poor rainfall. But there is still time i.e. till July for normal variety of crops to grow well, maintain the farmers and agriculture experts here.Because sometimes less rainfall is recorded in June, but better rainfall in July comes in handy to meet the shortfall of rain, they add. However, the impact of poor rainy conditions have only given rise to prices of vegetables and fruits in local markets here.
Whereas the common vegetables like onion which was being sold at Rs10 a kg till the first fortnight of June, is now available at Rs20 per kg to Rs25 per kg in Haldwani's main fruits and vegetable market.
More so, the prices of another commonly used vegetable like potato are already high i.e. Rs25 a kg to Rs30 per kg in the main fruits and vegetable markets here.
The matter of concern is that due to poor road connectivity the same common vegetables are being sold at much higher prices in hilly and remote areas of the Kumaon division where supply of the essential commodities is from the same Haldwani market. Similarly, the prices of fruits like mango are also high beginning from Rs40 per kg.
If the traders dealing with these essential commodities like vegetables and fruits are to be believed the prices of the same edible items may go high in the coming days ahead if conditions of poor monsoon fail to improve.