The Government has said any continuation of the current drizzle beyond a few days may delay wheat harvesting which is expected to commence in the third week of this month.
“The current drizzling rains are good for wheat crop. If it continues in the coming weeks, then harvesting may delay,” the Minister of State for Agriculture, Mr Arun Yadav, told reporters today on the sidelines of Krishi Vigyan Mela.
Wheat harvesting normally begins after the festival of Holi on March 20, he said.
Echoing similar views, the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) Director, Mr H.S. Gupta, said: “This year, cold temperature and intermittent drizzling has continued till now and it is proving beneficial to the wheat crop.’’
“But now, the rains should stop for good harvest to take place by the end of this month,” he noted.
On wheat output, Mr Gupta said: “So far, the weather indicates that production will not be less than 82 million tonnes and is expected to touch 84-85 million tonnes.’’
The Government has pegged a record wheat production of 81.47 mt for this year against 80.8 mt last year.
Inaugurating a three-day farmers’ fair organised by the Government’s research body IARI, Mr Yadav said farmers should take advantage of the new schemes announced in the Budget and improve farm production.
Noting that the mela provides a window of opportunities for all stakeholders including farmers to know about the new technologies developed for improving farm output, he said similar melas should be organised at the state levels.
The Minister of State for Food Processing, Mr Harish Rawat, said such melas help address the challenges faced by the farm sector.
Over one lakh farmers from across the country are expected to participate in the fair. The special feature of the mela is the facility of one-to-one interaction with farmers to sentisise them about the latest technologies.