Timely rain, snow save Rabi crop, fruits in Himalayas
Timely rain, snow save Rabi crop, fruits in Himalayas
B.D. Kasniyal
Pithoragarh, Jan 24
Rain and heavy snowfall, that occurred in entire Himalayan region of North India from J & K,Himachal Pradesh to Uttarakhand in last 24 hours has brought cheers to the hill farmers since it would save more than 70 percent of Rabi crop and temperate fruits.
“The Rabi crops and temperate fruits were heading towards 70 percent losses as the process of setting the flower in temperate fruits is yet to start, ” said I.A. Khan, former director in horticulture department of Uttarakhand.
He explained that the wheat spikes have not emerged in rain fed region of the hills and timely rain and snow has brought the required moisture and chill otherwise the Rabi crops were heading for a disaster.
P.K. Singh, joint director in agricultural department of Kumaon region of Uttaarakhand has predicted earlier to snowfall that Rabi crops in hill region of Kumaon have started decaying due to lack of rains and the hill region of Nainital has witnessing a loss of 23 percent, highest in the region.” The losses will now be fully compensated,” hoped Singh.
According to experts, the snowfall that ranged from 2 inches to 1 feet in Uttarakhand region in last 24 hours, which has resulted into cold wave conditions in the entire state .” The temperatures in lower regions like Mukteshwar, Pantnagar, Dehradun and New Tehri gone went down drastically as Mukteshwar in Nainital had a minimum of 3.1 degree celsius today,” said H.S. Tomar, Director of weather department .
