Growers advised to sow seasonal vegetables without delay

Growers should irrigate their just sowed wheat crop keeping in view the dry weather spell ahead, besides cultivating winter vegetables on time to utilise existing soil moisture fully. "Wheat cultivation has completed in most of the irrigated areas," Met Office said in its 10-day advisory for farmers, advising the growers to sow seasonal vegetables without any delay to utilize existing soil dampness to help attain a better production.

"Farmers are advised to cultivate winter vegetables in time so that present soil moisture may fully be utilised. Farmers of irrigated areas should irrigate the crop as per requirement due to dry weather prevailing in most of the irrigated agricultural plains of the country," it urged.

It said that normally the first irrigation took place some 20 to 25 days after wheat is sowed while the crop received second before heading stage and the third is given at milk maturity stage. Farmers of barani areas should remove weeds from the fields with a view to help the just grown crop to have sufficient soil moisture for a further growth, it said and asked that weed removal from standing crop was important to preserve land dampness for the crop.

The Met Office warned the farmers of losing a considerable yield if weeds continued with its growth at their standing crop, saying the unwanted plants scaled down a sizeable production every year. It urged the farmers to undertake weeds removal as early as possible which could be carried out manually or by using weedicides.

"Falling leaves from the trees negatively affect standing Rabi crops like wheat and other Rabi crops. Farmers should collect leaves from the crops as early as possible so that crop normal growth may not be disturbed," it said. It also advised the farmers to protect their crops from winter frost as temperature was set to fall further during the season. "Due to further drop of temperatures, especially farmers of upper areas are advised to protect their crops from the frost," it added.

It predicted the night temperatures were expected to drop slightly by 1-2 degree Celsius in most of the agricultural plains of the country especially in the upper parts in the coming days. Weather in Punjab is expected to remain mostly cold and dry weather in the coming days, with light rainfall till January 15. Mostly dry weather is forecast for Sindh with light to moderate rain till January 20.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Met Office said, mainly cold and dry weather was expected with light rainfall and light snowfall over the hills. Mainly cold and cloudy weather is expected in most parts of the Balochistan with light to moderate rain and with light snowfall over the hills. Mainly cold and cloudy weather is expected in most parts of the Gilgit-Baltistan. However, light to moderate rain and with light snowfall over the hills. Mainly cold is expected in most parts of the Kashmir, however, partly cloudy weather conditions with light to moderate rain and light snowfall over the hills.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2015