The Met office has advised farmers of upper and central parts of the country to protect their crops from the expected winter frost as night-time temperature continues to fall. The office in its advisory to farmers, spanning till January 31, said the wheat crop is in tiller, shooting stage in the country’s most agriculture parts Since wheat cultivation has completed in most of the irrigated areas, the farmers are asked to irrigate their crop as per requirement as dry weather prevails.
“Normally first irrigation is given after 20-25 days after sowing and 2nd irrigation is given just before heading stage and 3rd irrigation is given at milk maturity stage,” it said. The office urged the farmers to weed out all unnecessary plants from their crops to bring the existing soil moisture for the crop. It said the farmers can use weedicides to eradicate weeds or they may also employ manual practice to clear the crop from wild plants.
Mainly cold and dry weather is expected in most parts of Punjab till January 31, it said, adding that light snowfall is expected at few places over the hills of Murree, Gallayat and surroundings. It forecast mainly cold (very cold in upper parts) and dry weather for most parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It said mainly cold and dry weather is expected in most parts of Sindh and Balochistan. A very cold and dry weather is expected in most parts of Kashmir and very cold and dry/partly cloudy weather is expected in most parts of Gilgit-Ballistician.
