Saturday, 06 January 2024 | VINOD CHAMOLI | NEW TEHRI
Farmers are concerned due to the lack of rain and snowfall this season. Farmers in the Chamba-Mussoorie fruit belt and dozens of villages in Tehri district are disappointed due to the sowing of wheat, masoor and peas being affected because of the protracted absence of rainfall in the region. Similarly, due to absence of snowfall, the apple trees are not getting adequate moisture.
Local farmers state that their fields have lost moisture due to absence of rainfall in the past three months in the Chamba-Mussoorie fruit belt and dozens of villages in the district. The farmers were unable to sow wheat, masoor and other crops in December due to lack of rains. With the first week of January about to end and no signs of possible rain, the farmers have not yet started sowing peas.
In the Chamba area only 10 per cent farming is irrigated while 90 per cent of the agriculture depends on the rains. Due to the absence of rain and snowfall, apple trees in the fruit belt are not getting enough moisture. This may affect the apple yield in the future. Farmers here state that a year ago, the wheat crop was affected due to inadequate rain in the region. They are looking at a similar situation this year too.
VCSG Uttarakhand University of Horticulture and Forestry, Ranichauri campus technical officer of the meteorological department, Prakash Negi said that weakening of the western disturbance due to El Nino had resulted in a dry December.
