HARIPUR: The agriculture department has feared that if the ongoing dry spell persists beyond January, then the wheat crop standing over 8200 acres of land in Haripur district will suffer.

District head of the department Mohammad Ihjaz Malik told Dawn on Tuesday that a lack of rainfall had a serious effect on the agriculture of the district, especially in rain-fed areas.

He said that 80 per cent of the area under cultivation was rain-fed and merely 20 per cent has the facility of irrigation water.

“The rain-fed area that produces the maximum quantity of wheat yield was under threat if the situation continued to persist for another fortnight,” he said.

Official says 80pc of area under cultivation is rain-fed

About the impact of drought on wheat crop in the current situation, the official said rain-fed areas where the farmers opted to go for early sowing in October to early November the wheat plants were at stem elongation or completion stage and would be ready for reproductive process or grain making by the end of current month.

“If the dry weather continues for the next 15 to 30 days, the grain development process is feared to be affected, threatening wheat production targets,” he said.

Mr Malik said at the time of the reproductive process or grain developing stage, the crop needed water more than routine, so the lack of rain in rain-fed areas could lead to the production of smaller grain than normal.

He, however, said the areas where wheat was sown in Dec were comparatively safe from the weather effect as the stemming process had not yet started.

About the per acre produce target for the year 2023-24, the official said the estimated produce was 18-20 mounds from rain-fed and 28-32 mounds from the irrigated area.

About the yellowish colour of wheat leaves in some areas, he said it was dew and the cold weather effect that caused the colour change but the crop was safe.

Appearing to be optimistic about the accomplishment of wheat yield target, Mr Malik said rainfall was expected in the last week of the current month, so the situation was expected to improve.

About the mitigatory measures, the official said farmers were being educated to sow the crop on time instead of going early.

Talking about the climatic impacts, he said the farmers were being educated and a proper desk for their information and guidance about the use of pesticides, insecticides, fertilisers, cultivation patrons, was being set up in Haripur with the help of a non-governmental organisation working in this area.

To the question of fast turning of agriculture fields into housing society and commercial building the wheat targets, he acknowledged that the trend was on the rise but from five to seven per cent area under wheat was increased during the current year as more and more land owners were opting for agricultural activity owing to price hike and joblessness.

“Those who were least interested in farming are fast turning to cultivation of crops,” he claimed.

Published in Dawn, January 24th, 2024