ISLAMABAD: Less rainfall during this year’s winter season has caused water shortage, due to which the Wheat crop may be affected as it is at its second stage of growing and flourishing.
“During this time, wheat and other crops require sufficient water. Unavailability of water could harm the growth of the crops”, National Agro Met Centre Director Dr Azmat Hayat said.
He added by saying that during January, the wheat crops enter the second phase of flourishing from the first phase of emergence and during this phase, sufficient water can improve the overall yielding and increase the number if tillers.
He advised the farmers to somehow manage water for the wheat crop at this stage through tube wells or any other mean. He said, “If they will invest at this stage and crops sustains, they will get the fruit.”
About the grain crop, Hayat said that the grain crop do not require a lot of water so it would not have any bad impact. Similarly, the amount of water required by vegetables can easily be managed by farmers.
Azmat Hayat claimed that the lack of rain during this winter season is due to the climatic changes. “Wheat is the major food crop in Pakistan and cultivated on the largest acreages. Its importance is obvious as it constitutes 60 per cent of the daily diet of common man in Pakistan,” he added.
In late October, Pakistan Meteorological Department informed the farmers that no rain was predicted for the crucial wheat-growing months of November and December in parts of northern Pakistan that rely solely on rain-fed agriculture.
He said, “Persistent dry weather, having no rain, would end in the second part of January which means that most parts of Pakistan are likely to face water and food stress, as current availability of water would not be enough to meet the requirements of millions of people.”
