A preliminary report prepared by the local office of the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department on the basis of a survey conducted to assess the crop losses has revealed that severe cold and frost have caused damage to around 90 per cent of the mustard crop in the district.

Though all five blocks in the district have been hit by the calamity, Kanina, Nangal Choudhary and Mahendragarh are the worst-affected among these, putting the mustard growers in trouble.

“Mustard has been sown over 95,000 hectares in the district this season and the crop loss due to frost has been reported in 87,000 hectares. Losses up to 25 per cent have been found in 64,000 hectares and the damage is between 26 to 50 per cent in 7,000 hectares, while 6,000 hectares have suffered a loss of more than 50 per cent,” said Balwant Shaharan, deputy director (agriculture), Narnaul.

He said it was a preliminary report and the survey to assess the losses in detail would continue in the coming days. The head office had been intimated about the ground situation.

Ajay Kumar, a distressed farmer from Israna village, said his mustard crop spread, over 8 acres, had suffered losses up to 60 per cent due to frost in the region for the past three days.

“Similar is the situation in Mohanpur, Nangal, Rambass, Dhana, Maalpura and Rasulpur villages. Extensive damage to the crop has been reported there too. Those who have not taken insurance cover are now looking towards the state government for help,” he added.

Rohtas, another distressed farmer from Mahendragarh block, said he had been facing such a situation for the first time in the past several years. “The crop was flourishing well and we were expecting a good yield this time, too, but frost that continued for three-four days dashed the hopes of the farmers,” he added.

Agriculture experts said, “Frost is harmful to mustard at the flowering stage. It will cause further damage to the crop if the situation doesn’t change in the coming days.”

Meanwhile, farmers of various villages in the district staged a dharna at the mini-secretariat in Narnaul town on Thursday. They demanded Rs 30,000 per acre as compensation for the loss to the crop due to frost, stating they would be ruined if financial help was not extended to them.

Source - https://www.tribuneindia.com