Punjab farmers fear rain may damage paddy crops

Ludhiana,  As a sudden spell of rain lashed many parts of Punjab on Monday, paddy growers feared it could damage their crops and reduce yields.

Farmers, who have already harvested their produce and brought it to mandis for sale, also complained that heaps of paddy sacks lying in the markets got soaked in showers.

The ongoing strike by rice millers also added to the woes as the lifting process at most of the mandis was adversely affected, said farmers.

Rain lashed many places, including Ludhiana, Patiala, Bathinda, Faridkot, Fatehgarh Sahib, Ferozepur, Hoshiarpur, Patiala, Moga and Mohali in Punjab.

In Hoshiarpur, farmer Jangveer Singh of Rasoolpur village said paddy crops on over four acres of field that were almost ready to be harvested got flattened because of the rainfall and strong winds.

He said the sudden rain will delay harvesting and reduce the yield.

According to farmers, around 70 per cent of the paddy crops were yet to be harvested.

A farmer in Nabha, who brought the crop for sale in a mandi, said because of rain, the moisture content in the crop will increase. Also, there was not enough space in the mandi to keep the crop safe from rain.

Farmers said that paddy sacks lying in mandis at Khanna, Ferozepur, Nabha, Moga and Bathinda got wet.PTI