Rains badly impact wheat crop harvest

Farmers fear losses of millions if downpour continues

BAHAWALNAGAR: A recent spell of rain has badly impacted the standing wheat crop in

Bahawalnagr’s Haroonabad Tehsil. Farmers fear they could face losses of millions if the rains continue to lash the region for the next couple of days, Express News reported.

Heavy rains hit Haroonabad that came as a blessing for the people but it damaged the wheat crop cultivated on a vast area. The crop was ready for harvest but the rain created difficulties for the farmers to carry on with the process.

The district is considered as one of the best regions where the soil and weather conditions are perfect to cultivate wheat crop. The current situation has raised concerns among the farming community as they fear the rains will damage the crop and delay the harvesting process.

While speaking to Express News, local farmer Ashfaq said that they worked hard to cultivate the wheat crop but the rains have damaged it. “The crop was ready to be cut but the downpour has delayed the process,” he added.

He lamented if the rain continues for a few more days then the entire crop will be wasted.

Similarly, another farmer Rehmat Din said the farming community in the area entirely depends on cultivating and harvesting crops. “This season’s wheat crop was better than last year but the recent rain spell has damaged it,” he mentioned.

Agricultural experts said that it is necessary for the farmers to have knowledge of weather conditions before harvesting the crop. They said the rains do have a bad impact on standing crops but it has worst implications on crops that are ready for harvest.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 15^th, 2019.