Warm,dry spring rings alarm bells for hill farmers

Horticulture and agriculture scientists have already started to analyse the effects of the heat in spring season,issuing warning of losses in food grains,vegetables and fruits crops,including stone fruits like apricots,plums,cherries,peaches,almonds and apple.

“Absence of rain last month led to early flowering of apple trees in the fruit belt of Shimla,Kullu and Mandi. If the drought continues for another month,the chances of fruit production going down in the coming months would increase. Farmers are likely to face losses again this season,” said S P Bhardwaj,Horticulture Scientist at Y S Parmar Horticulture University Nauni,Solan.

He has suggested that farmers go in for mulching around the basin area if drought continues for another 15 days,as the heat has led to the loss of moisture in the soil.

At higher reaches above 9500 – 10000 feet in Kinnaur district,which still have to see flowering,there are lesser chances of damage to crop due to drought.

Weathermen say the hot conditions would continue for the next few days as there are little chances of rain.

“This month too seems to be heading on the pattern of March which was the second hottest month after 1901. The temperatures are almost nine degrees above normal for the spring season in hills,” said Manmohan Singh,director of the meteorological office in Shimla.

He attributed the rise in temperatures to the dominance of westerly and southerly winds. In Dharamsala,where Indian Premier League (IPL) matches are scheduled for April 16 and 18,the daytime temperature is 32.6 degrees Celsius,eight degrees above normal,and minimum of 16 degrees Celsius.