Wheat farmers hope chill will set in
The winter wheat crop in Punjab has been in good shape so far this year.
By Madhvi Sally, TNN |
CHANDIGARH: The winter wheat crop in Punjab has been in good shape so far this year. However, with weather fluctuations taking place, both agriculturists and government officials are looking for temperature to dip a bit further for proper tilling of the plant at this stage.
The Centre for Meteorological Department here has given a warning of ground frost likely to occur at few places in Punjab and Haryana during the next two nights.
Currently, 3.42 million hectare land is under wheat cultivation which is expected to increase to 3.45 million hectare in the coming days. The per hectare average yield of wheat target set by the government is 42.50 quintals across the state.
Last year (2005-06), the per hectare average yield was down to 41.79 quintals per hectare. “Till date, no report of crop damage has come but the fear of the rising temperature in the days to come (after ‘Lohri’) is a big concern. If the temperature doesn’t dip, then it will effect the per hectare production of wheat in the state.
Farmers and officials are all praying for night temperature to fall by few centigrades in the state,” said agriculture director (Punjab) Balwinder Singh Sidhu. The average day temperature is currently 21°C in the state and the night temperature is 6°C, which is for now not a disturbing sign for the wheat crop according to Mr Sidhu. However, acknowledging the changing weather pattern in this region, Mr Sidhu said Punjab Agriculture University were already working on new varieties of wheat crop.
For the coming wheat crop, traders are not speculating on the minimum support price (MSP) and are waiting on the climatic condition shaping in the region. Bharti Kisan Union Ekta (Ugraha) president Juginder Singh Ugraha informed that the inclement weather condition was going to affect the crop yield.
“We will be demanding Rs 50-Rs 100 per quintal wheat bonus from the government,” he said.Weather has always been critical for wheat. In 2005 and 2006 wheat production declined substantially due to higher temperatures during the grain maturing stage. In 1999, despite a record wheat area of 27.5 million hectares, production was only 71.3 million t as the yield was just 2.6 t per hectare. In recent years, wheat yields were around 2.7 t per hectare, with the highest yield at 2.78 t/hectare in 2000.
The Centre for Meteorological Department here has given a warning of ground frost likely to occur at few places in Punjab and Haryana during the next two nights.
Currently, 3.42 million hectare land is under wheat cultivation which is expected to increase to 3.45 million hectare in the coming days. The per hectare average yield of wheat target set by the government is 42.50 quintals across the state.
Last year (2005-06), the per hectare average yield was down to 41.79 quintals per hectare. “Till date, no report of crop damage has come but the fear of the rising temperature in the days to come (after ‘Lohri’) is a big concern. If the temperature doesn’t dip, then it will effect the per hectare production of wheat in the state.
Farmers and officials are all praying for night temperature to fall by few centigrades in the state,” said agriculture director (Punjab) Balwinder Singh Sidhu. The average day temperature is currently 21°C in the state and the night temperature is 6°C, which is for now not a disturbing sign for the wheat crop according to Mr Sidhu. However, acknowledging the changing weather pattern in this region, Mr Sidhu said Punjab Agriculture University were already working on new varieties of wheat crop.
For the coming wheat crop, traders are not speculating on the minimum support price (MSP) and are waiting on the climatic condition shaping in the region. Bharti Kisan Union Ekta (Ugraha) president Juginder Singh Ugraha informed that the inclement weather condition was going to affect the crop yield.
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“We will be demanding Rs 50-Rs 100 per quintal wheat bonus from the government,” he said.Weather has always been critical for wheat. In 2005 and 2006 wheat production declined substantially due to higher temperatures during the grain maturing stage. In 1999, despite a record wheat area of 27.5 million hectares, production was only 71.3 million t as the yield was just 2.6 t per hectare. In recent years, wheat yields were around 2.7 t per hectare, with the highest yield at 2.78 t/hectare in 2000.
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