Fears over the health of wheat crop grip farmers as growing areas are experiencing rainfall. There have been intermittent showers until Saturday, affecting the harvest. This could delay wheat arrivals by 8-10 days. Growers say any more rain in the growing areas could affect yield.

Though procurement has officially begun on April 1, not a single grain has been available at the Karnal grain market terminal. “Hailstorm and rain have resulted in the crop drooping, affecting harvest,” said Mr Sewa Singh Arya, Bhartiya Kissan Union Secretary, in Haryana. Last year, the crop was in the market on April 1 and around 50 per cent of the crop was harvested by April 15, he said.

According to Mr Tara Chand Sharma, a wheat trader, arrivals may start before April 10 but the moisture level in the crop could be higher. If farmers do not dry and bring their produce, they may not get a fair price for their produce. As the crop has drooped in some parts and not fully ripe, farmers are harvesting manually.

Harvesting using combine harvesters may begin around Baisakhi. Pundri, Bastara, Hasandpur, Nising and many other growing areas of Haryana's Karnal district have been hit by inclement weather. Around 30-35 per cent of the crop in the 1.72 lakh hectares under wheat in Karnal district is feared to have been affected. Other affected areas are in Panipat, Yamunanagar, Ambala, Revari and Bhivani districts.

Mr Arya told Business Line that the Kisan union is unhappy with just Rs 20 hike to Rs 1,120 in the minimum support price for wheat. “While our expense on the crop is Rs 2,434 a quintal, we get only Rs 1,120,” he said, demanding over Rs 2,000 a quintal as support price.

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