Low rainfall in Jan-March may hit rabi crop yield

IF THE MET department's forecast of a below-normal rainfall and above-normal temperature during January-March, especially in the northern states, turns true, yields of several winter crops including wheat, mustard, chana and horticultural crops could be hit, experts said.

- SANDIP DAS

"As seen in the last few years, extreme weather events would adversely impact the crop yields, especially as such incidents occur prior to harvesting of the crop," P K Joshi, agricultural economist and member, Supreme Court-formed panel on farm laws, told FE.

Joshi stated that to mitigate impact of higher temperature or surplus rainfall, there is a need to go for inter-cropping to protect the soil as well as ensure yield losses because weather events compensate by increase in yields of other crops.

Last year the chana or gram output was impacted severely because of unseasonal hailstorm in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan leading to a decline in output and soaring of prices despite the government relaxing imports norms. In 2022 and 2023, wheat crop was hit by above-normal temperature and unseasonal rains in March, just prior to harvesting of the crop.