Hailstorms And Unseasonal Rains To Cause More Crop Losses To Farmers

After a record early supply of mangoes in February and March, Rohan Ursal, a farmer and wholesaler, fears that continuing rains that are out of season could hurt both the quantity and quality of crops in April. Overall, the calendar is changing, with heat waves in February already having hit the fruits he grows.

Weeks after early heat waves, hailstorms, thunderstorms, and unseasonal rains have damaged crops and led to losses for farmers in several parts of the country.

The ongoing harvest window for rabi crops has been lashed by an untimely torrent, causing damage to rabi crops — some already harvested, some ready to be harvested, and some still in the development stage, according to Crisil in its March 22 note. Between March 1 and 21, cumulative rains have been 20% more than normal and, in the past four days, three to four times the normal, Crisil said.

Farmers are already facing losses, said agricultural activist Devinder Sharma. For instance, hailstorms and unseasonal rains in Punjab have already impacted about four lakh hectares of land under cultivation, he said. Apart from wheat, which is a rabi crop, scores of other crops, including fruits such as grapes and mangoes; vegetables such as cabbage, capsicum, and lady's fingers; and crops of dhania and cumin have been hit, he said.

Litchi orchards were in full bloom, and excess rains have led to a significant decline in flowering, which is expected to reduce yields by 5–6% on-year, Crisil said. In wheat, lodging has been reported in many places, which would impact yield. In West Bengal, paddy has seen grain drop, it said. The northwest, comprising Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan, has also witnessed wheat lodging, which could lead to a 4-5% decline in yield compared with previous estimates, Crisil said.

Central India, comprising Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra, witnessed widespread damage to both field and horticulture crops, Crisil said. Almost 5-10% of the onion crop has been damaged in Nashik, Maharashtra, with farmers expected to delay harvesting by 8-10 days to prevent bulb rot due to excess moisture, it said. "The grape yield is expected to fall by 8–10%. Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, hailstorms have caused lodging in wheat, which could result in a 3-4% yield loss. Karnataka is expected to see 5–10% damage to horticulture crops," Crisil estimated.

Unseasonal rainfall in most parts of the country is expected to impact crop yields, increase prices of commodities in short supply, and reduce the returns for farmers in commodities that are perishable and where farmers have lost their crop, Teresa John, an economist at Nirmal Bang Institutional Equities said in a March 23 note.

Strong wind or hail may damage plantations, horticulture, and standing crops, according to the Indian Meteorological Department's latest advisory. It advised farmers to postpone the harvesting of crops in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Arunachal Pradesh, keep already harvested produce in a safe place, or cover the heaps of already harvested produce in the field with tarpaulin sheets. It also advised farmers to drain out excess water from crop fields, provide mechanical support to horticultural crops and stake vegetables, and use hail nets to protect orchards.

While farm incomes remain stressed amidst rapidly changing weather phenomena, so far the impact on aggregate output remains limited.

All-India retail prices of key vegetables, including potatoes, onions, and tomatoes, as well as cooking oils, continued to trend lower in comparison to a month ago, according to high-frequency data published by the department of consumer affairs. Pulses saw a moderate uptick in retail prices.

As of now, the impact of unseasonal rainfalls on all-India output is not much, according to Gnanasekar T, director at commodity futures trading firm, Commtrendz Research. Even if the output were to take a slight hit, there is already quite a bit of salvage with sufficient buffer stocks for wheat, rice, and pulses, he said. That said, concerns remain with global weather models forecasting El Nino and the chances of a less than favourable monsoon, he said.