KUMARHATTI-
The ground frost has come as bolt from blue for farmers of this area. The majority of farmers were suffering losses after wheat and pea crops have damaged by frost in the past fortnight. The abnormal sub zero temperature in later part of last month has spelt doom for agriculture.
The prospectus of healthy production of wheat crop in rain fed area was earlier hit due to prolonged dry weather condition. Ironically now the long duration of frost has wreaked havoc on crop. A random visit to nearby villages showed that frost has completely damaged the wheat crop in fields.
The pea’s crop that fetched good earning to farmers by this time of year was no where to see in fields. According to a distressed farmer of Bohali village, it all started after January 15 when the weather suddenly turned adverse followed by the ground frost. Generally in late January the weather started to open up but this time it was no like that. The plants of wheat and pea have withered in fields due to severe cold condition.
The wheat sowing had to be delayed by a month due to lack of rain, pointed out a farmers’ at Bhojnagar village.
Later it was sown with the hope of rain in coming time, they said. But much to our shock the sprouted plants of crop have faced biting cold condition thus facing premature end, they lamented.
This was going to be a major economic crisis for us, rued the farmers at Jorhji village. We were clueless to how to face this crisis now. This unexpected weather crisis could harm the prospectus of tomato in coming summer, they expressed apprehension.
Usually we earned something between Rs. 20000 to Rs. 235000 from pea crop every year, pointed out a Nepalese couple who hired fields on contract basis from local landowners. Sadly the things were not the same as there was a grim possibility of losses due to the very low production of pea crop, the couple maintained.
The situation was worse in Banasar area where farmers were facing problem even to meet the fodder requirement for their cattle. The frost has dried up the grass in forest on large scale, rued a farmer at Banasar.
