ISLAMABAD, Mar 3 (APP):Recent rains would bring about positive impact on seasonal crops including wheat, vegetables, oil seeds and pulses, besides boosting the output of fodder crops grown over vast areas for fulfilling the local needs of food for livestock.
The moderate rains are equally beneficial for both, rain fed and irrigated areas across the country, as it fulfill the irrigation requirements in rain fed areas, whereas these rains strengthen water reserves of irrigated areas and save cost of energy of the farmers, said Dr Sikandar Shaheen, Program Leader (wheat), National Agriculture Research Center.
Talking to APP here on Thursday, he said that recent rains would be largely beneficial for wheat crop sown over vast rain-fed areas across the country, particularly in Potohar region, besides oil seed crops, seasonal vegetables and pulses would also get positive impact from the rains.
He informed that wheat, which is major cash crop of the season was in booting stage in late sowing areas, adding that in early sown areas of Sindh Province like Mirpur Khass and areas adjoining to Thar has reached to its harvesting stage.
The outlook of wheat across the crop grown areas in the country was satisfactory, he said adding that it is expected that output target of 29 million tons set for the season would be achieved, which would be sufficient to tackle with the local consumption.
It is worth mentioning here that the meteorological department has said that rain-wind/thunderstorm (with light snow over the hills) was expected in Islamabad, northeastern Punjab, Gilgit Baltistan, Kashmir and its adjoining areas.
