Farmers urged to take preventive measures during wheat harvesting
PHOTO: FILE
Rescue 1122 has advised farmers to take all necessary preventive steps to avoid fire incidents during wheat harvesting.
A spokesman for the organisation stated that farmers should adopt all possible measures to prevent burning of wheat crops due to accidental fires during the harvesting season.
He urged farmers to take extra care and precautions, such as not smoking cigarettes near standing wheat crops and avoiding burning wheat residues.
The spokesman also warned that setting wheat residue on fire is a crime and could cause nearby standing wheat crops to catch fire. He noted that every year, many fire incidents occur due to human carelessness and smoking, causing farmers to lose their hard work.
In case of a fire, he suggested that plowing around the standing crops with a tractor could prevent it from spreading.
According to an agriculture expert, farmers typically lose over 10 percent of their wheat produce due to various reasons. Therefore, they should take necessary measures to save their produce from pre- and post-harvest losses.
The expert advised farmers to keep a close eye on weather conditions and continuously listen to weather reports released on electronic and print media.
Farmers should also start harvesting and threshing their crops only when weather conditions are predicted to be suitable. In case of rain, they should collect their harvested crops at a safer place and use plastic sheets or tarpaulin to protect them.
Additionally, the expert recommended that farmers cover their mouths and noses with a cloth or mask while harvesting crops and use new bags to store wheat produce.
He also advised conducting anti-germ and anti-virus sprays in their warehouse.
Farmers should immediately report any wheat crop fires to rescue helpline 1122 for timely response and assistance. APP
Published in The Express Tribune, April 29th, 2023.