NEW DELHI, Apr 5: The damage to the standing Rabi crops from unseasonal rains could be as high as 25-30 per cent, is likely to impact the wheat procurement which starts from beginning of April, a joint study by ASSOCHAM and weather forecast agency SKYMET pointed out. The main rabi crops such as wheat, oil-seeds, pulses and vegetables and fruits have taken the toll of the untimely rains, the study said. Vegetables like tomatoes, cauliflower and coriander have been the worst affected, mentioned the joint study. Horticulture crops such as mangoes, bananas, grapes, channa have also been affected and the impact could be seen in their prices, it said. Releasing the study titled Monsoon 2015: Agri-business Risk or Opportunity,D S Rawat, Secretary General ASSOCHAM said, ”in addition to the untimely rains, temperatures have also gone down and this could affect the crops and the consumers may have to face the burden in the next few days with prices of vegetables likely to increase by 20-25 per cent.” The production of Rabi crop would be down in the 25-30 per cent minimum range as more wet weather was in the offing in April and the damage to the Rabi crop would continue, highlighted the study. ”This untimely rain would also increase the threat from pests. If this continues, farmers may face huge monetary loss,” said Mr Rawat. As per the government estimates, country’s foodgrain production is expected to decline by 3.2 per cent to 257.07 million tonnes in 2014-15 crop year (July to June) from the record 265.57 million tonnes in 2013-14, he said. However, some pockets that might be deficient include Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Marathwada, Rayalseema, South Interior Karnataka, North Tamil Nadu and parts of the North East, he said. Mr Rawat further said, the standing rabi crop like wheat, mustard, potato and gram have been damaged in parts of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi. India might get normal monsoon rainfall at 102 per cent of long-period average during June-September this year, the joint study noted. (UNI)
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