Recent rainfall unlikely to damage major crops, will boost production: Agriculture Secretary

New Delhi: The recent rainfall following extreme heat conditions across parts of the country has not caused any damage to major crops and is expected to boost summer crop production prospects, Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi said on Thursday.

Speaking about the weather pattern, Chaturvedi noted that sudden rainfall, hailstorms and gusty winds after extreme heat conditions are typically observed during this time of the year.

However, he pointed to the "unpredictability and severity" of such weather conditions due to climate change.

"No damage has been reported so far due to sudden rainfall. It will benefit summer (zaid) crops such as moong, maize and paddy," Chaturvedi told PTI.

The Agriculture Secretary said that hailstorms and gusty winds in parts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar might have caused ripened mango and litchi fruits to fall.

"The state governments are yet to assess it and report to the ministry," he added.

On the upcoming kharif season, Chaturvedi said sowing preparation for paddy, beginning July, is progressing well.

He also indicated that the third foodgrain production estimate for the 2024-25 crop year (July-June) is likely to be released in the next 3-4 days, with slight upward revisions expected in some crops.