The Hindu Business Line : Heavy rains damage 20-25% vegetable crops in Punjab

“Because of the torrential rains that occurred yesterday, vegetable crop at several areas in Punjab has been hit and we fear the damage could go to the extent of 20-25 per cent,” said the Director Punjab Horticulture Department Mr Baldev Singh on Tuesday .

The damage was caused to kharif crops that include chili, tomato, pumpkin, bitter gourd, ladyfinger. All these vegetables were grown in Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Patiala, Ropar, Mohali, Sangrur and Kapurthala, which were lashed by heavy rains, he said.

“Heavy downpour has adversely affected the flowering of crop such as pumpkin, bitter gourd while water logging has damaged the plants of chilli which are at final stages of production,” he added.

Punjab grows vegetables over an area of 1.77 lakh hectares and it has annual vegetable production of 30 lakh tonne. However, rains have brought gains for paddy and cotton crops as it would considerably reduce the number of irrigation required for these c rops.

Moreover, the threat of mealy bug, which was looming on cotton crop, will also lessen as rains retard the growth of pest, said a cotton expert. - PTI

Prev: NTPC to import 8 million tons of coal in FY'09
Next: Global recession hits Goa tourism industry

Business Line | NUS Index |

Related Topics
Agricultural Policy
E-Governance
Financial Policy
Foreign Relations
Human Resources
Industrial Policy
People
Politics
Public Policy Note
Random Walk
Security
Trade & Labour Unions
View Point