Wheat harvesting at peak in Potohar

Rawalpindi: The farmers in Potohar region have started wheat crop harvesting and threshing, as the Met Office and agricultural department have warned them to cut their crops immediately to avoid any harm from unpredictable rains in twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) Meteorologist Muhammad Farooq Dar has predicted another rain spell on April 27 and 28 in Rawalpindi region.

Wheat harvesting has started in almost all parts of the Potohar region including Phulgaran, Shah Allah Ditta, Rawat, Kallar Syedan, Lohi Bher, Kahuta, Sagri, Raqqa, Chak Beli Khan, Fatehjang, Tarnol, Golra, Gujar Khan, Chatta Bakhtawar, Sihala, Ari Syedan and Mandra. Crop in hilly areas of Murree and Kotli Satyan was not yet ready to cut.

Rawalpindi Region Agriculture Officer Balqees Bano told ‘The News’ that farmer should complete harvesting and threshing before the next spell of rains. There is wheat crop on 290,000 acres of land in Rawalpindi region and getting around 275.26000 tons wheat every year, she said.

She said that we are facing unpredictable rains and hailstorm which was creating an unrest situation among the famers. Wheat crop is ready in majority of areas in Rawalpindi region for two weeks. But, harvesting was stopped due to unpredictable rains and hailstorms, she said.

“We have received some of complaints of shattering of wheat crops due to hailstorm and moisture here in the region. Farmers should cut the crop before start of next rain spell,” she advised.

Currently there is an ideal whether for the wheat crop harvesting in the Potohar region. So farmers should complete at least the harvesting process in this dry spell, she said. She said if it rains with thunderstorm during harvesting it would badly affect the wheat crop. There would be bumper production of wheat in the Potohar region this year, she hoped.