Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan
The Agriculture Ministry, in a statement, said Chouhan has instructed officials to reach out to concerned state governments and compile damage assessments.
New Delhi:Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday took cognisance of heavy rainfall and hailstorm damage across several states, directing ministry officials to conduct a comprehensive review of crop losses and coordinate with state authorities to gather ground-level information.
The Agriculture Ministry, in a statement, said Chouhan has instructed officials to reach out to concerned state governments and compile damage assessments.
The minister is scheduled to hold discussions with the agriculture ministers of the affected states later in the day over the extent of crop damage.
Chouhan assured farmers that the Modi government stood with them in this hour of crisis.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned that a fresh Western Disturbance will affect Northwest India from April 7, triggering widespread rainfall, thunderstorms and hailstorms across Jammu-Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh through April 10. Thundersqualls gusting up to 70 kmph are likely over parts of Northwest and East India.
Hailstorms — the primary driver of crop losses — are forecast over Jammu-Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan on April 7-8, and over East Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Maharashtra and Marathwada on Sunday. Bihar, Jharkhand and Gangetic West Bengal remain in the hailstorm zone through April 8.
Heavy rainfall warnings remain in force for Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, Kerala and Mahe through April 6, and for Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya through April 9-10. Interior Karnataka, Telangana and Rayalaseema face continued thunderstorm activity through the week.
Maximum temperatures in Northwest India are expected to fall by 3-5 degree Celsius between April 7 and 10, coinciding with the fresh disturbance, while East India will see a gradual decline of 3-4 degree Celsius between April 5 and 8.
Deploy hail nets, harvest crops without delay: Farmers told
Agrometeorological advisories, issued alongside the IMD forecast, urged farmers in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, East Rajasthan, East Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand to deploy hail nets over orchards and vegetable plots and harvest matured crops without delay.
In Jammu and Kashmir, farmers were asked to store harvested mustard, lentil and gram safely and drain excess water from standing crops. In Arunachal Pradesh, fresh sowing of Jhum rice, maize and vegetables should be postponed; cabbage, pea, mustard and potato should be harvested and shifted to safety immediately.
Farmers in Kerala were told to provide mechanical support to banana plants; those in Tamil Nadu were advised against pesticide application during heavy rain and asked to prepare basins for spice crops. Across affected states, harvested produce should be covered with tarpaulin or moved indoors, and horticultural crops staked against strong winds.
Livestock owners should shelter animals during hailstorms and store feed in dry locations. Fish pond owners should install netted outlets to prevent overflow losses.