BAHAWALPUR: The sudden rise in mercury in South Punjab may have negative impact on standing crops, especially wheat.

In advance stage at present, wheat needs moisture in air and soil but the temperature ranging between 36 and 40 degrees in Bahawalpur division for the last four days is drying it up which may affect the growth of the grain.

Some mango and tobacco growers this correspondent talked to were also concerned at unusual warm conditions in the month of March.

Agriculture Deputy Director Muhammad Shafique apprehended the size of grain might shrink if the present conditions persisted.

He said wheat had been cultivated over 740,000 acres in the district during the months of November and December last.

He said five per cent cultivation was done in November and rest (95pc) in December.

The November sowing was more vulnerable to high mercury whereas late sowing grain might survive the warm condition, he expected.

To a question, he said rain would be harmful for the crop at this stage.

He said that the Crop Reporting Services (CRS) wing of the agriculture department was yet to make assessment of the per acre yield of wheat which would would help them forecast production at the district level.

CRS Assistant Director Islam Shah told Dawn that the evaluation of the per acre yield might be finalized within the next week. He expected average 35 to 36 maund per acre wheat yield in the present weather conditions.

ROAD: A sum of Rs 3900 million would be spent on the construction of Kahrore Pucca –Mailsi road in Lodhran district.

This was stated by by Deputy Commissioner captain retired Shoaib Ali during the visit of Multan Commissioner Dr Irshad Ahmed to the area.

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2022