Himachal Pradesh's extended dry spell, combined with a warm winter, threatens rabi (winter crop) farmers with potential losses due to potential crop damage. The state's apple orchards are also suffering from a lack of necessary moisture and chilling hours.

Over the weekend, minimum temperatures across the state rose significantly, remaining 3-10 degrees Celsius above average as the dry spell persisted. This has caused concern among rabi crop farmers, including those growing wheat. This dry spell adds to the problems of the state's farmers, who were already hit hard by heavy rains and flash floods during last year's monsoon season.

Rabi crops planted in rainfed areas in November have wilted due to the dry spell. "The Rabi crops in Darlaghat and surrounding villages have been damaged, and the situation is similar in other districts," stated Kanshi Ram, a small-scale farmer from Khatta village in Darlaghat.

Horticulturalist Sujaat Chauhan warned that if the dry weather continues, it could worsen the already poor apple crop yield from 2023. The minimum temperature at Kusumseri, which was minus 9.1 degrees Celsius on Thursday, rose to 0.9 degrees on Saturday, more than ten degrees above the norm.

Source - https://www.freshplaza.com