Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Jun 24: The paddy transplantation that got delayed due to erratic weather conditions in April and May months is still going on at some places and is expected to be completed in the next few days.
Farmers from various areas of the valley said that the continuous wet weather had delayed all agricultural work in Kashmir. However, they were unable to resume agricultural activities only after dry weather in the ongoing month.
Abdul Majeed, a farmer from south Kashmir’s Pulwama district said they typically transplant paddy in the last week of May. However, intermittent rains last month affected the growth of paddy nurseries and transplanted paddy in the second and third weeks of June.
Another farmer from Kulgam said they were unable to carry out the tilling process due to the wet weather. “We tilled the land in the water. This is not usually done,” he said. “Usually, dry land is tilled, which is easier for farmers. However, this year the land was first irrigated before tilling and it was tilled.”
Farmers said the wet weather had delayed the transplantation process throughout the valley by approximately 15 to 20 days and this process was usually completed by June 21 while this year, the process is still going on.
They said that it is being said that paddy transplanted after 21 June doesn’t ripe on time and affects the yield as well. “Transplantion process is going on and it will take around a week for full completion of the paddy transplantation process,” they said.
Director Agriculture Kashmir Mohammad Iqbal Choudhary said that the maximum paddy transplantation process has been already completed while the rest will be completed in the next few days.
“Major thrust remains that around 90 percent paddy transplantation must be completed before June 21 and that has been already done,” he said, adding, “Thanks to Almighty Allah, the weather remained dry in last few weeks, otherwise the situation would have been very difficult.”
Over 95 percent paddy transplantation process has been completed and the rest will be completed in the next two to three days, he added.
When asked whether there will be any impact on the yield of paddy transplanted after June 21, he said if there will be good temperature in the coming months, then there won’t be any impact on the yield.
