SWABI: Growers are in a rush to ensure speedy harvest of wheat crop and its threshing amid fears of rain which can cause serious damage to the grain.

Talking to Dawn on Wednesday, the growers said compared to the previous year, they had experienced more rains during the current year, dampening their hopes of getting a good and healthy crop.

With the Met department forecasting more rains, the farmers said they regularly kept a watch over the changing weather conditions to avoid damage to their crop in case more rains came.

Liaqat Yousafzai, general secretary of Kashthkar Coordination Council, said there was no option with the growers as delaying the threshing could damage the crop.

Growers said compared to other crops, rain could cause serious damage to the harvested wheat crop, incurring heavy financial losses on them.

“Rains during the wheat harvesting period damage the crop significantly, both lowering its price and quality,” Khalid Khan, district president of the Kisan Board, said.

“A good quality bread won’t be prepared from the flour of wheat hit by rain,” Ashiq Khan, a trader, said.

OFFICIALS’ APATHY: Members of Razaar Tehsil Council on Wednesday asked the officials of the tehsil municipal administration and other departments to participate in the council meetings so that people’s problems could be resolved.

Speaking at the floor of the assembly, Tehsil Nazim Ghulam Haqqani said heads of departments should attend the tehsil council sessions to discuss and resolve public issues.

He said the officials were bound to participate in the meetings and answer the questions raised by the elected representatives.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2016