With untimely rains and hailstorm causing widespread damage to wheat crop, growers in Haryana are not keeping luster loss crop for their own consumption and bringing the same to mandis for sale, which is leading to more than expected arrivals in ongoing procurement season.
Besides wheat grains getting damaged and shrivelled, the inclement weather conditions had also hit shinning of crop as heavy luster loss was found in more than 10 districts including Fatehabad, Palwal, Mewat, Jind, Faridabad in Haryana, an official of Haryana Food and Supplies department said.
"We have observed farmers this time are not keeping wheat crop which is affected by luster loss for their own consumption at affected places. They are bringing into mandis for sale which has led to increase in arrivals," a senior official of Haryana Food and Supplies department told PTI today.
In case of luster loss, crop loses its shine and it is to be consumed early as it becomes prone to insect attack.
Though there is no impact on its nutritional value in affected crop, yet the wheat flour made from luster loss wheat crop may get blackened after some time.
As against "lesser" arrivals expectations, Haryana is all set to cross wheat procurement target of 65 lakh tonne for Rabi Marketing season 2015-16. So far, over 62 lakh tonne of wheat has arrived in grain markets and it may exceed 66 lakh tonne mark, official said.
Usually, about 50 per cent of wheat output in Haryana arrives in grain markets for sale every year.
In the wake of adverse impact of rains and hailstorm, Haryana Agriculture department feared about 10 per cent drop in wheat production this season.
As against the target of about 115 lakh tonne, wheat production may remain 100-105 lakh tonne, official sources said adding had there not been untimely rains along with hailstorm, the wheat output could have crossed 120 lakh tonne.
Because of freak weather conditions in March and April this year, wheat crop at about 13 lakh acres of are got damaged in Haryana.
As per special girdawari report, 3.17 lakh acres suffered 76 per cent to 100 per cent damage, 1.92 lakh acres faced 51 to 75 per cent damage and 8.24 lakh acres of wheat area witnessed suffered 25 per cent to 50 per cent damage.
