While rain, hailstorm affect wheat growers, it may also benefit farmers by raising temperatures

NEW DELHI: Rain and hailstorm in the past couple of days have hit some farmers growing wheat, mustard and fruits and vegetables in parts of western, central and northern India, but the unseasonal showers should also benefit many farmers as temperatures had soared well above normal. Farmers still face the risk of heavy rainfall next week, when a rainbearing system of clouds called a western disturbance is forecasted to bring showers in northern India. Farmers are worried as the monsoon had failed for two consecutive years and the intervening rabi harvest was severely damaged by heavy showers and hailstorms this time last year.

The weather office had earlier issued warnings to farmers, particularly in Maharashtra, advising them to use hail nets and mechanical support to protect vegetables and young fruit plants. It also warned farmers that oranges, sweet lime, pomegranate and papaya fruits may fall from trees due to hail and squally wind.

KK Singh, head agro meteorologist at the India Meteorological Department, said only in a few pockets crops were flattened or waterlogged. He said farmers should now watch for rains from March 12-19, which will cover most parts of the north, northwest and central India.

“The rains in the past few days was very beneficial for the wheat crop in north and northwest India as temperature which was 4-5 degree above normal came down. At some isolated places where crop was harvested and threshing not done, the hailstorms might have damaged crop,” Singh said.