Crops worth crores of rupees and wheat kept in sacs damaged
New Delhi: A large swathe of Madhya Pradesh has witnessed unseasonal rain and hailstorm which brought down temperature by several degrees in the state.
The damage caused to wheat has been estimated at Rs 25 lakh only in one district, Narmadapuram.
Consequently, the farmers are demanding compensation from the government for crop loss.
Not only that, it caused severe damage to Moong (green gram) Urad (black gram) and onion crops and the wheat kept in sacs in the open at various procurement centres across the state.
Wheat and maize kept in sacs at different wheat procurement centres, have been wet because of heavy rain. While onions dumped in fields to dry in various districts like Khargone, Ratlam, Mandsaur, Sehore and the entire Malwa belt got wet in rain. It also caused a huge damage to Moong (green gram) and urd, which are growing in the field.
Since the societies did not make any arrangements for protecting wheat, rainwater gathered at the purchase centres where sacks filled with wheat were kept. The loss was huge in Dolari, Pipariya, Sohagpur, Makhan Nagar, Itarsi, Semri Harchand and Bankhedi in Narmadapuram district.
The sacs were brought to the premises of Mandi Parishad and covered with plastic sheets. Wheat kept in the open at the purchase centres for weighing was covered with plastic sheets.
Similarly, rain and hailstorm damaged wheat kept in the open in Semkheda, Tinsri, Bedar, Karpa Poraina Kalan, Jamunia and Randheer villages.
Narmadapuram Telsildar Nawal Katare said that he would survey any loss caused to the farmers because of the hailstorm. The district received 43.5 mm rainfall in the past 24 hours. The day temperature also decreased because of the rainfall.
Narmadapuram collector Neeraj Kumar Singh said, “Wheat and gram, kept in the open at purchase centres, were wet. When the weather gets clear, the wheat will dry. I have sought information from the revenue officials. I also directed the officials to make arrangements for drying the wheat.”
District horticulture officer (Sehore) Raj Kumar Sagar said, “In Sehore, in 2021-22, onion and garlic was cultivated in 5461 hectare while 1, 31, 505 MT was produced. We are getting feedback from farmers on the loss they have suffered.”
Bharatiya Kisan Sangh president Kamal Singh Anjana said, “Onion crops were completely damaged in Khandwa, Ratlam and Mandsaur. Onions were dumped in the field to dry so they got wet. As it also rained in Maharashtra this time, onion prices will soar. Wheat got wet at procurement centres.”
