Rains cause heavy damage to wheat crops in Punjab
Pakistan Times National News Desk

LAHORE: Moderate to heavy rain in various parts of Punjab has caused considerable damage to the rabi crops especially wheat which is at the maturing stage.

Though the exact details of the damage were not available immediately, official sources said that “damage has been caused to the wheat crop at certain places especially in the District Sheikhupura, Narang Mandi, Hafizabad and Gujranwala belt where rain was accompanied with fast-blowing winds.”

Reports received from the countryside say, there was heavy rain in the Rawalpindi, Faisalabad and Lahore zones of Punjab. What has caused concern among farmers and agriculture experts is that the rain at most places was accompanied with fast-blowing winds.

It has led to the lodging of the wheat crop in the vast area of the Punjab.

Of the Effects

Asked about the prevailing inclement weather, Mr Tasneem Haider, Director, Agriculture said that “not even a single drop of rain is required at this stage in this region. It is proving harmful to the crops. It would be better if the sky becomes clear at the earliest. Farmers need sunny weather now.”

He said that before the rain yesterday, the wheat and other Rabi crops were in very good health except in the areas where these were hit by hailstorms a few days ago.” But rain in the past 24 hours a danger to the crops”, he added.

“We have estimated that the wheat output this year will exceed last year’s figure,” he added. But, all this would depend on the weather, he added.” If the sky becomes clear and the next five weeks remain free from any weather trouble, one can say with authority that Punjab farmers will be set to reap a rich harvest of wheat”, he said. “We are keeping our fingers crossed,” he added.

Met Pundits

Local met office says, there was heavy rain throughout Punjab on Monday, with 42 millimeters of rain recorded in Lahore. In Lahore, a downpour that began late on Sunday night continued till Monday afternoon.

Farmers say that they have been hit hard by the rain. “Till yesterday, everything on the wheat front was fine. But the scenario has changed a bit following rain,” said Ramazan, a farmer of Sheikhupura district. Another farmer said that the rain was accompanied with fast-blowing winds and it flattened the wheat crop in a vast area.●