Rain, hailstorm, strong winds flatten matured wheat crop in Amritsar, Tarn Taran
Amritsar/Tarn Taran, April 19
A short spell of downpour coupled with strong winds and hailstorm today in isolated areas of the district damaged matured wheat crop ready for harvesting. The farmers claimed that up to 20% of crop have been flattened in some of the areas.
“The wheat crop is almost mature and harvesting has been started on Baisakhi (April 14). But the weather conditions are uncertain that led to delay in the harvesting. Today, high velocity winds and hailstorms damaged the crops in periphery areas of the city. The winds are not favourable for mature crop as plants get flattened,” said Gurpeet Singh, a farmer from Khankot.
Satnam Singh, another farmer from Pandoori village, said: “We are fearing the cloudy weather and rain. The grains containing moisture would not be procured in the market. The unfavourable weather conditions are delaying the harvesting that would affect the yield of crop.”
The rain filed all the potholes and low lying areas on the city roads, causing inconvenience to the commuters. The residents are demanding to conduct patch work to fill the potholes from government. “Almost all the major roads in the city needed patch work as water accumulation in potholes can be seen in the city everywhere. The MC should conduct patch work on priority,” said Surinder Kumar, a resident of Majitha Road.
In Tarn Taran, heavy rain and hailstorm damaged the wheat crop. In the afternoon, there was heavy rain in Tarn Taran, Patti, Khadoor Sahib, Khemkaran areas of the district. The wheat crop in grain markets got damaged as most of the crop was lying under open sky in Tarn Taran, Chabal, Sarai Amanat Khan, khadoor Sahib and other areas.
Dilbag Singh, a farmer from Lalu Ghuman, and Sukhwinder Singh, another farmer from Rattoke villages, said hailstorm has caused heavy loss to matured wheat crop.
Harpal Singh, chief agriculture officer, said wheat fields were dry as a results there was no loss to the crop and the yield.
