Farmers advised to take timely steps to protect crops

RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: Farmers should take timely precautions to protect their crops, livestock and other property keeping in mind the current monsoon situation, the Met Office advised on Saturday.

It advised farmers to suitably irrigate their crops to offset the effects of hot and humid weather expected in southern half of the country. Farmers of rain-fed areas, who also obtained irrigation water through tube-wells, were also told to irrigate their crops in accordance with the expected weather conditions likely to prevail in the next 10 days.

During dry and humid weather, farmers of cotton belt were also advised to take timely precautions to protect their crop from pest attacks, especially attack of Melay Bug, Jassid, Thrips and Whitefly, the Met Office said.

It said recent rains in upper half of the country may accelerate weed growth in standing crops. Farmers, the Met Office said, should apply sprays and weed control on time.

It forecast weather in Punjab to remain hot and humid in the next 10 days. However, isolated rains/thundershowers were expected in upper and central Punjab on August 11 and scattered rains/thundershowers in agricultural plains of the province between August 12 and 15. Rains/thundershowers were also expected at isolated places in upper Punjab on August 19-20.

Weather in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is likely to remain mainly hot and humid in the next 10 days. However, isolated rains/thundershowers were expected in agricultural plains of the province between Aug 11 and 15, it said.

In Sindh, weather was expected to remain mainly hot and humid in the next 10 days. Howeve,r light to moderate rains/thundershowers were expected in south-eastern and upper parts of the province between August 12 and 15.

Mainly dry weather is expected in Balochistan during the next 10 days. However, rains/dust-thunderstorms were expected at isolated places in eastern parts of the province between August 11 and 15.