Jammu, July 16: While monsoon rain eludes J&K, the good news for the farmers is that Western Disturbance (WD) has saved the Kharief crops this year.
 According to the Agro-Met division of the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture Science and Technology (SKUAST) Jammu, the rains during past over a month as a result of WD have given opportunity to the farmers to sow the summer crops, particularly in Jammu region.
 “Monsoon was quite late this year and so far we have not experienced much rainfall as expected, but the WD has saved the Kharief season,” Dr M K Khushu, senior scientist and agro-meteorologist at SKUAST told Greater Kashmir.
 To mention, nearly 50 per cent of the Kharief crop was lost during last year due to the drought in the state affecting thousands of farmers.
 According to the official data nearly 18 districts in J&K were worst hit due to the failed monsoon and other factors forcing state to import more food grains from other parts of the country.  The situation had forced the Omar Abdullah government to approach central government seeking Rs 211 crore on account of relief to affected people under Calamity Relief Fund (CRF) set up by the UPA government two years back.
 “Losses to the crops were severe and thousands of hectors of standing crops were destroyed due to the drought, last year,” a farmer leader Tejinder Singh Tony said adding, “We cannot afford another failed monsoon”.
 Officials said that scanty rainfall in the last two years also adversely affected agriculture sector in all three regions of the state.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 16 Jul 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 16 Jul 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 17 Jul 2010 00:00:00 IST