Rain beneficial for Rabi crops

ISLAMABAD: Agriculture experts have termed the ongoing spell of rain beneficial for the Rabi crops, especially wheat, which need ample supply of water for survival.
The Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) Chairman Dr Iftikhar Ahmad said the rainwater would benefit production of major Rabi crops, including wheat, grams, mustard and barley, which are cultivated in different parts of the country.
“The current spell of rain is well aligned with the wheat crop that has been in severe demand of water to gain strength, particularly in Punjab and Sindh provinces,” said Dr Iftikhar. The rainfall would sustain the much needed soil moisture in the root zone and help the farmers save extra inputs in terms of watering the crop. It would further help increase the wheat yield by making the wheat grain healthier and bigger in size. “This is the growth period of the grain and with the input of rain observed, it would now grow properly and boost production,” he said.
The PARC Chairman said the wheat crop in the Potohar region, which is mostly rain-fed area, will get more benefits due to the rainy season.
He said with the timely rain, there are expectations that the wheat crop this year would not only cater to domestic needs, but the surplus could also be exported.