Farmers of irrigated areas should complete wheat sowing process before December 15 to utilise fully land moistures for crop, the met office advised on Tuesday. The office in its 10-day advisory urged the growers to sow the recommended varieties of wheat if failed to complete the cultivation by December 15 with a view to scale down yield loss.

It said most fields in rain-fed areas are under moisture stress condition. Farmers of rain-fed areas who obtain water for their crops through tube-wells should schedule irrigation according to the expected weather.

Wheat cultivation is in progress in lower plains of the country, it said, adding that farmers may irrigate their crops as per requirement due to the dry weather in most of the agricultural plains. "Normally first irrigation is given 20-25 days after sowing," it suggested. The office said removing weeds from standing crops should be done on a priority basis to suffice moisture for crops. It said weeds could be removed either by using manual methods or spraying.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2012