Prolonged dry spell worries Kangra farmers amid rabi season

With the rabi crop season underway, farmers are growing increasingly concerned as the state has yet to experience any significant rainfall, which they fear may impact produce, especially wheat.
The sowing season for rabi crops begins in mid-October. While sowing has taken place, farmers find themselves in a precarious situation due to the ongoing dry spell across the state. Last year, a similar prolonged dry spell significantly impacted Rabi crop cultivation in parts of Himachal.
With dry weather conditions prevailing, many stations across the state have recorded the highest November temperatures ever in recent days. The state has recorded a 100% rainfall deficit in November with no precipitation recorded so far.
Wheat, chickpea and lentils are the major crops grown in the rabi cycle. Last season, around 92,000 hectare land was under wheat cultivation in Kangra district. For their cultivation, approximately 80% of the hill state depends on rainwater.
Dhaliara Surajpur panchayat vice-chief Virendar Mankotia said farmers are concerned over the prevailing weather conditions, adding, “While farmers are going ahead with sowing the seeds, there is a concern as rainfall has not taken place. There is no irrigation facility here and we depend on rain water. Less moisture is available in the soil. The crop was less last year due to prolonged dry spell and farmers fear the same might happen this year, if there is no rain.”
Sarbjeet Singh, a farmer from Diyal Panchayat in Dehra tehsil, echoed the sentiment, saying, “The farmlands in our area rely entirely on rainwater for irrigation. We harvested the maize crop about a month and a half ago, and there was some moisture left in the soil, so we went ahead and sowed the wheat. However, if it does not rain in the coming days, it will affect seedling growth and lead to delays in harvesting and decline in production.”
Meanwhile, Kangra deputy director (agriculture) Rahul Katoch said, “As of now, there is no alarming situation and sowing is taking place in some areas. There is also residual moisture in the soil at present.”
Notably, Himachal had also witnessed a huge deficit in the amount of rainfall received during the month of October and the state experienced an exceptionally dry October this year as the rainfall levels were the third lowest on record since 1901. According to IMD data, the state reported a staggering 97% deficit in precipitation.