Bijnor, Jan 13 (ANI): Frosty weather in many parts of North India has adversely affected several cash crops adding to the distress of farmers, many of whom have suffered crop losses almost up to thirty per cent.
Farmers in Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh said that they had invested heavily in the potato crop, but the temperatures this winter plummeted below normal leading to frost which damaged the plants causing crop yield losses on a large scale.
Many of them had taken huge loans from the government to expand their cultivation of potatoes. But the unusual weather played spoil sport with them.
"We had invested more this year than last year, but our potato crop has been damaged by the frost. This is a three months crop. We had used all kinds of pesticides and all scientific methods, but our crop has been damaged by the frost. I have not even got 20 quintals. The market situation is already not very enthusiastic and now we are literally on the road," said Dukhram Singh, a farmer.
The agricultural authorities have acknowledged that yields in hundreds of acres under potato crop have been affected by heavy fog and frosty conditions.
"This season there has been lot of foggy conditions. Farmers have registered losses to the extent of 20 to 30 per cent. The potatoes are also small in size. Many have even replaced the potato crop with wheat crop," said Pooja, a district floriculture officer.
Farmers are estimating more than 40 per cent of crop damage, a huge blow to their already meager earnings during the times of economic slowdown. By Sarfarez Khan(ANI)
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