Only 20% wheat sown in Punjab, delay to affect yield
Experts are of the opinion that sowing should be over by Nov 15 for best results
JALANDHAR: : The delay in paddy harvesting has slowed down the wheat sowing as the task has been completed only on 20% of the land that is expected to be covered under the crop across the sate. It’s almost a fortnight since wheat sowing had started and experts are of the opinion that sowing after November 15 will adversely affect the yield.
As per the data procured from the agriculture department, 34.80-lakh hectare of area is expected to be covered under the wheat crop this season, of which sowing has been done on only 6.48-lakh hectare area.
Hari Ram, a wheat agronomist, said ideally the wheat-sowing process should be over by November 15. “Sowing wheat after November 15 will affect the yield of the crop,” he said.
The delay in sowing wheat, which usually starts in the last week of October, is due to prolonged paddy harvesting season due to incessant rains in September.
Agriculture officials say about 10 per cent basmati crop in Majha region is yet to ripen.
The downpour from September 22 to September 25 had dampened the spirits of the paddy farmers, who were looking forward to selling their near-mature crop. The rains led to flattening of the crop, which affected the yield, besides delaying harvesting.
Besides wheat sowing, the delay in paddy harvesting also affected the mid-term crops such as potatoes, carrot, cauliflower and peas, which are produced at large-scale in Jalandhar, Kapurthala and Hoshiarpur districts. Experts at the agriculture department said sowing of these crops start from last week of September, immediately after paddy is harvested.
Kuldeep Singh, a farmer from Kapurthala, said it was a tough task to sow wheat by November 15 as paddy harvesting had just finished.
THE DELAY IN SOWING WHEAT, WHICH USUALLY STARTS IN THE LAST WEEK OF OCTOBER, IS DUE TO PROLONGED PADDY HARVESTING