With chill back, farmers hope cool weather lasts a month

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 6

Even as the chill in the air had started to recede in the last one week, city residents woke up to a surprise on Monday morning as the temperature dropped significantly due to the intermittent rains last night.

The highest temperature in the area touched 25 degree Celsius as the city had been receiving abundant sunshine for the last one week. “It seemed as if winter was over as heavy woollens were shifted back to the wardrobes. Thankfully, the weather has changed for good,” said a resident Suman Sharma.

Temp drops due to rain

• Residents woke up to a surprise on Monday morning as the temperature dropped due to the intermittent rains last night
• The highest temperature in the area touched 25 degree Celsius as the city had been receiving abundant sunshine for the last one week
• The agrarian community is hopeful that the temperature would stay cool for a month more

Though the rains were scanty, agricultural experts stated that it would have a positive impact on the wheat crop. “If the temperature increases too early, it would have an adverse effect on the wheat yield as the grains would shrink and dry early,” said the Chief Agriculture Officer.

While the early onset of summers during the last few years has already worried agricultural experts and farmers as the yield is continuously decreasing with each passing year, the agrarian community is hopeful that the temperature would stay cool for at least a month more.

“The research institutions are already developing heat resistant varieties of wheat but it would still take time,” said Dr Gill, adding that the farmers should not ignore irrigation needs of the crop if the temperature increases.

The chief agriculture officer further stated that the problem of weeds in vegetable crops, especially mustard crop, may increase after the rains. “Here, farmers need to be vigilant and should not use any chemical as no weedicide has been recommended by the Punjab Agriculture University for mustard crop,” he said and added that spraying chemicals could have an adverse effect on the mustard crop.

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