Like many wheat farmers in the region, Parwinder Singh, a farmer from Punjab’s Kapurthala district, worries about crop loss as a result of recent temperatures that have been above average. A farmer from Talwandi Mehma named Singh stated that at this time of year, “The crop doesn’t require a lot of warm days. It may be detrimental to the wheat harvest if temperatures stay above average for a few days “.While maximum temperatures in Punjab and Haryana have been slightly above average for several days, minimum temperatures have also risen.
The minimum temperatures, however, have been staying around the typical range for the last two to three days. The minimum temperatures have, however, experienced a little decline over the last couple of days, and the mornings are now cooler, according to Kokrikalan. According to Singh, if the weather is very warm during the grain formation stage for several days, the result is shriveled grain, which lowers crop quality. The amount of wheat produced in Punjab last year, according to him, was 148 lakh metric tonnes, 14% less than the year before.
The production goal for this year is 167–170 lakh MT, according to Singh, who also noted that 34.90 lakh hectares of land are already planted with wheat. “Rain fell in January of last year, and subsequently, in February and March, temperatures rose. The current daytime temperatures are undoubtedly 2-3 degrees above average, but the nighttime temperatures are close to normal, so maybe this year won’t be as bad as last year “he stated. Nonetheless, he added, “we have established teams at the district level” that would regularly counsel farmers. To prevent lodging that can arise from a very windy day, irrigation should be stopped.
The warning was issued as temperatures in Punjab and Haryana has been slightly above average for a few days. It went on to say that two sprays of potassium chloride (0.2%) at the jointing and heading stages may lessen losses in the event of a sudden spike in temperature. Farmers were additionally warned to keep a close eye out for the yellow rust disease in their wheat crop. Nonetheless, the continued warm weather in the afternoon hours is a serious issue, he said. The situation is currently not worrying, according to Haryana Agriculture Minister J P Dalal, but farmers have been warned to be prepared to take actions like light irrigation in case the maximum temperatures continue to rise in mid-March.
