Cold comfort

The recent cold wave in north India is proving a mixed bag for crop output...

The recent cold wave in north India is proving a mixed bag for crop output, for even as wheat is likely to benefit from low temperatures, potatoes and other vegetables will suffer.

Experts are predicting an increase in yield by 1-2 quintals per hectare of wheat if the current spell prolongs for some more days. 8220;The wheat yield may increase from 42 quintals per hectare at present to 43-44 quintals if the cold wave conditions persist for a couple of days more,8221; said Punjab State Farmers Commission senior economist P.S. Rangi.

Describing the ongoing weather as 8220;conducive8221; and 8220;beneficial8221; for the wheat crop, experts pointed out that, 8220;the cold wave promotes tillering of the wheat crop which would help in enhancing the wheat output8221;. The cold conditions would also restrain the attack of insects or pests in the wheat crop, they added.

Last year, the sudden rise in temperature by 1-2 degree at night during the end of January had hit the crop hard. 8220;But this year, the situation is different, which will turn out to be beneficial for wheat,8221; said a senior official of the Punjab Agriculture Department.

The matter assumes significance as unfavourable weather conditions in the past have turned out to be a major impediment in the growth of wheat production, forcing the state Agriculture Department to fix a modest wheat output target.

After attaining the highest wheat yield of 46.96 quintals per hectare in 1999-2000, Punjab was unable to maintain the yield which started declining from 2000-2001 at 45.63 quintals per hectare, to 45.32 quintals per hectare in 2001-02 and 42 quintals per hectare in 2002-03. However, it improved marginally in 2003-04 and 2004-05 at 42.07 quintals and 42.21 quintals respectively. But it again dipped to 41.79 quintals per hectare in 2005-06.

As far as potato is concerned, the news is bleak. The cold and frost in Punjab may slash the potato production in 2007-08 by 27 per cent to 950,000 tonnes, a senior official said. 8220;Frost has damaged nearly 30-35 per cent of potato crop in Punjab, which is likely to cause a fall in production by 350,000 tonnes,8221; Dr Baldev Singh, Director of Horticulture Department, Punjab, said. The department had earlier expected the output to touch 1.3 million tonnes.

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Punjab is a major producer of potato and had cultivated the crop in 75,000 hectares this year. India produced 27 million tonnes of potatoes in 2006-07, as per the data from the National Horticulture Research and Development Foundation.