Rain damages paddy, cotton crops in Bathinda, Mansa districts

Bathinda/Muktsar, Oct 5

Heavy rain coupled with strong winds on Monday late evening flattened the ripened paddy in the fields and also damaged cotton crop in Bathinda and Mansa districts.

Farmers said they were already suffering due to the pink bollworm attack and the bad weather would hit them further as the harvest would be delayed. They are worried as Combine Harvesters are not suited to harvest flattened crop.

The higher moisture content in the crop, too, is another cause for concern for the farmers now. The untimely rain will delay wheat-sowing as well. Kulwant Singh, a farmer from Sivian village, said: “Paddy crop in our village has suffered extensive damage The flattened crop will lead to increase in the cost of harvest, besides causing discolouration of grains.”

Natha Singh, farmer in Bathinda, said: “Earlier cotton crop was damaged by pink bollworm and now the rain has affected fluffs that were in full bloom and set for picking. It will cause quality issue and discolouration.”

Agricultural experts claim rain at this juncture would affect the quality of cotton bolls and paddy. Cotton harvest would be stalled for around five days.

In Muktsar district, too, the thunderstorm flattened the paddy crop in some parts. The rain also damaged cotton crop in some pockets. Some cotton growers even took their produce back from the mandis to dry it.

Jaswinder Singh, a farmer from Burj Sidhwan village, said, “I have grown paddy crop in seven acres, which has almost flattened due to strong winds and rain.” — TNS