Shivraj Singh Chouhan asks officials to gather ground-level information on unseasonal rain, crop losses

Taking note of the crop losses due to heavy rainfall and hailstorms across several states, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday directed his ministry officials to conduct a comprehensive review of the damages and coordinate with state authorities to gather ground-level information.

Chouhan has assured farmers that the Modi government stands with them in this hour of crisis and has instructed officials to reach out to the concerned state governments to compile comprehensive damage assessments, according to a statement from the Ministry of Agriculture.

The minister also held discussions with the agriculture ministers of the affected states over the extent of crop damage, the statement added.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned that a fresh Western Disturbance will affect Northwest India from April 7, triggering widespread rainfall, thunderstorms and hailstorms across Jammu-Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh through April 10.

Heavy rainfall warnings remain in force for Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, Kerala and Mahe through April 6, and for Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya through April 9-10. Interior Karnataka, Telangana and Rayalaseema face continued thunderstorm activity through the week.

Agrometeorological advisories, issued alongside the IMD forecast, urged farmers in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, East Rajasthan, East Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand to deploy hail nets over orchards and vegetable plots and harvest matured crops without delay.

Farmers in Kerala were told to provide mechanical support to banana plants; those in Tamil Nadu were advised against pesticide application during heavy rain and asked to prepare basins for spice crops. Across affected states, harvested produce should be covered with tarpaulin or moved indoors, and horticultural crops staked against strong winds.

Livestock owners should shelter animals during hailstorms and store feed in dry locations. Fish pond owners should install netted outlets to prevent overflow losses.