Freak weather: HP agri dept pegs crop losses at ₹20 crore

Damage to wheat, barley, gram, pulses, oilseeds, veggies is estimated to be between 7% and 10%

: The unseasonal rain and hailstorm in Himachal Pradesh have damaged rabi crops, such as wheat and barley, besides fruit trees and vegetables crops. A state agriculture department report on the damage due to the ongoing erratic weather has pegged the loss to crops at ₹20 crore.

The damage to rabi (winter) crops, including wheat, barley, gram, pulses, oilseeds, potatoes and vegetables, is estimated to be between 7% and 10%. Rabi and vegetable crops were sown on 4,01,843 hectares and crops on 16,125.85 hectares were found to be destroyed. Wheat is the main rabi crop grown on 3,29,084 hectares. Adverse weather has affected the crop in 15,505 hectares.

Agriculture is a major driver of Himachal Pradesh’s economy. 57.03% of the state’s workforce is directly employed in the farm sector, while allied industries account for 13.47% of the total gross state value added (GSVA).

Of the total 55,673 sq km, 9.44 lakh hectares of holdings are operated by 9.97 lakh farmers. The average holding size is 0.95 hectare. According to the 2015-16 agriculture census, small and marginal farmers own 88.85% of the total holdings, medium farmers own 10.85% of the holdings and large farmers own about 0.30%.

A massive ₹63 crore loss has also been recorded for the state’s horticulture crops.

Foograin, fruit production hit

“The goal for foodgrain production was 1,593.92 metric tonnes. Rainfall was deficient in January and February due to which the targets shrunk the potential for expanding output. The area for foodgrain production is gradually shrinking due to a shift towards commercial crops,” says state agriculture director Rajesh Kaushik.

Heavy rain and hailstorm have affected apple crop. First, the rain impacted apple blooming and later the hailstorm battered orchards in almost all apple-growing regions. “The crop seems to be lean this year. Weather vagaries have hit us hard,” says Ashutosh Chauhan, an apple-grower from Baghi.

“The rain has impacted fruit setting. Whatever fruit set is now cracking. Fungus has spread in the cherry because of the moist conditions. The total loss can be pegged at 70% as compared to last year,” says Plum Growers Association president Deepak Singha, a fruit grower in Kotgarh. The rain has also damaged mango and litchi fruits in the lower regions of the state. A Kangra-based mango grower, Rajender Chaudhary, said the damage has been extensive due to the prolonged rain.

Compensate growers: CPI(M)

“Farmers and fruit growers are facing a crisis due to the natural calamity. The government must conduct immediate assessment and compensate them,” said CPI(M) district secretary and former Shimla mayor Sanjay Chauhan.

He said 60% of the apple crop has been destroyed in the state, while in certain areas, the losses are up to 90% and orchardists can’t even recover their input cost. The state’s apple economy is worth ₹6,000 crore.