A meeting of the Committee constituted by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare (DA&FW) to monitor the situation of Wheat crop was held recently at ICAR- Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research, Karnal.  Experts from IMD, ICAR, State Agricultural Universities (SAUs), major wheat growing states and the senior state government officials attended the meeting along with the officials from DA&FW. The condition of wheat crop was presented and discussed in detail by the states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, which account for more than 85% of wheat acreage.

The Committee assessed that as on date the wheat crop condition is normal in all major wheat growing states. Due to intensive efforts of ICAR and SAUs, large numbers of terminal heat stress tolerant varieties were developed and are now under cultivation in an estimated area of more than 50% particularly in North Western plain zone. Also, about 75% area is under early and timely sowing conditions in Haryana and Punjab and therefore, the crop area with early sowing, will not be affected by heat conditions in the month of March.

 IMD in collaboration with All India Coordinated Research Project on Agro Meteorology (AICRPAM) located in ICAR-CRIDA, Hyderabad is issuing agro advisories twice a week on Tuesday and Thursday through network of District Agro Meteorological Units (DAMUs) which are part of KVKs across the country. ICAR- Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research, Karnal provides necessary crop specific advisories to the farmers who are associated with either KVKs through mobile apps or with the State Agriculture Departments.

At the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Crop Weather Watch Group Meetings are being conducted every week to monitor the crop situation involving related Departments and Ministries of Central and State Governments.

It was also decided that all extension agencies from Central and State Governments along with ICAR/SAUs should visit the farmers’ fields regularly and provide timely advisories to the farmers, wherever heat stress conditions occur.

****

SNC/PK