Agri Dept reports no yield dip in standing wheat crop
Contrary to initial fears of a drastic drop in wheat yield this season due to unfavourable weather conditions, the Agriculture Department has reported an average yield of 20 to 22 quintals per acre. However, this has been reported for the fields where crop was not flattened by the rain or hailstorm.
The department, however, has reported losses from 25 per cent to 100 per cent in fields where crop had partially or completely flattened. “Approximately 65 per cent of the wheat fields have been harvested so far. We are not sure how much is the overall drop in the district as it would be clear only after the harvesting process is complete,” said Chief Agriculture Officer Jatinder Singh Gill.
He said earlier it was feared that the yield in all fields would decrease irrespective of the fact that they had flattened or not due to unusual temperature rise in February this year. “The temperature in February this year was too high and more than normal, which caused widespread panic. However, as the weather conditions improved in March, it helped wheat grains gain weight,” he said.
Meanwhile, a total of 4.33 lakh metric tonnes of wheat has reached the markets in the district so far. District Mandi officials said the harvesting process would be complete in the next few days as it is going at a fast pace.
As per the figures available with the District Mandi Board, a total of 6.5 lakh metric tonnes of wheat crop was procured in the district in the last year. The officials stated that they expect almost same quantity of produce would arrive in the markets this year too.
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