Scanty rain damages cotton, bajra crops

Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Jhajjar, October 2

Scanty rain, prolonged dry spell and windstorm have damaged cotton and bajra crops in more than 25 villages of the district. Farmers say they are likely to suffer more than 70 per cent loss in yield.

Kartar of Tumbaheri village said he had sown bajra on eight acres and cotton on four acres, but insufficient rain had checked the growth of crops. “Windstorm that lashed the area a fortnight ago flattened them entirely,” he said.

“Farmers are dependent on tubewell and rain for irrigation as canal water is unavailable. Monsoon fulfils the requirement of water, but scanty rain and windstorm caused around 80 per cent damage to bajra and cotton,” he said.

The district received 192-mm rain from April to September while it was 430 mm this period last year.

Kuldeep Singh, statistic officer, Agriculture Department, said several complaints of yield loss due to drought had been received.

“A team of officials inspected Tumbahera and Koyalpur villages to take stock. The team found more than 70 per cent yield loss to cotton,” he said, adding complaints about damage to bajra were also received.

Inder Singh, Deputy Director, Agriculture, confirmed crop loss in 25 villages. “A joint team of an insurance company and the department will carry out a crop-cutting experiment to assess the loss so that they can be compensated under the PMFBY,” he added.