Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Jan 31: With the zero mm rainfall recorded during the month of December 2014, an overall 58 % shortfall in the rains has been recorded in last four months in Jammu region, indicating crop yield crisis to the extent of nearly 25-30% low as expected during normal rains.
Agriculture researchers from SKUAST –Jammu and senior officials of State Agriculture department revealed that with the continuous dry spell in the rain fed areas of Jammu region, the Rabi crop is facing severe yield crisis and if the rains were delayed by next two to three weeks, the crops yield may be affected by 35 to 40 percent. They said in irrigated areas of the region, there will not be much difference but since majority of the area in the region is rain-fed, the crops like wheat, pulses, oil seeds etc will be badly affected with the on going dry spell. A little relief was caused to crops with the recent two rains in last two weeks.
Merely 8 mm rain during November and 0 (zero) mm during December has caused extensive damage to the initial growth of the crop. A little respite during the month of January was felt as hardly fifty percent of the expected normal rain of low intensity occurred. But this has not provided enough relief to the Rabi crop. The initial damage was caused during tilling period due to this dry spell in early November and then growth period of first 4-5 weeks and even till today, they maintained.
Director Agriculture Jammu, Dr SS Jamwal when contacted said that nearly 65 % of the Agriculture area of Jammu region is rain-fed. It includes majority of the kandi belts of Rajouri, Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts. With the ongoing dry spell and severe shortfall in rain nearly 25 to 30 % reduction in the crop yield is expected. He said little respite to the Rabi crop was accorded with some rain recently but it was not enough for good growth of the crop.
Dr Jamwal further said that the crop was under intense stress due to shortfall in rains and farmers are scared of losses. But there is no need to be panicky as the Weathermen have predicted rain and snowfall in next 2-3 days. He said this problem is not much in irrigated areas of Jammu, Samba and Kathua but majority of the area is rain-fed in the region. If sufficient rain is not experienced during February, the crop yield may be affected up to 40-45%, Dr Jamwal maintained.
Dr B C Sharma, Chief Scientist from Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology Jammu when contacted disclosed that Rabi crop is going to be badly affected with the massive shortfall in the rain in Jammu region during last 3-4 months. Giving data, Dr Sharma said during October 2014, just 18.5 mm rainfall was recorded as against the normal 22 mm. In November the thing further worsened as just 8 mm rainfall was witnessed, which indicated minus 25.2 % departure from the normal. During December 2014, zero percent rainfall was recorded as against normal 24 mm, which indicated minus 100 % departure from the normal. Again during January 2015, hardly 17 mm rainfall was recorded in Jammu as against 48 mm normal, indicating minus 64% departure from the normal.
The data of last four months compiled by the SKUAST Jammu has indicated that there was 43.9 mm rainfall as against 104.5 mm normal during these months in the region. It has indicated minus 58 % departure from the normal.
In other words, an overall shortfall of nearly 58 % has been recorded in the rainfall.
Responding to a question, Dr Sharma said there was good rain during monsoon and some residual moisture helped the farmers of Kandi belt in tilling the land and some initial growth. Generally, the farmers sow seeds of Rabi crops during October or first two weeks of November in this region. He said the rain is very crucial for the tilling and growth period of crop. There is no doubt that crop is under extensive stress in rain fed areas of Jammu and crop yield is certainly going to be affected badly.
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