Unseasonal rains hit parts of Gujarat, agriculture dept issues advisory for farmers

Ahmedabad: Unseasonal showers were witnessed in parts of Gujarat on Monday, and the meteorological department has forecast light rains with thunderstorms in several districts in the next three days.

The state agriculture department has issued an advisory for farmers to take precautionary measures to protect their crops from unseasonal rainfall likely in parts of the state till Thursday, an official said.

Rains and hailstorms were witnessed in Amreli, Botad and Banaskantha districts of the Saurashtra region, causing a drop in temperature and bringing relief to locals.

Showers were witnessed at isolated places in north Gujarat in the last 24 hours, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting a light thunderstorm with lightning and rain at isolated places in Aravalli, Dahod, Mahisagar, Dangs, Valsad, Surendranagar, Rajkot, Ahmedabad, Anand, Bharuch and Surat in the next two days.

Given the forecast, the state agriculture department has advised farmers to take measures to avoid crop loss.

Farmers should immediately move their produce and harvested crops to a safe place or cover them with plastic/tarpaulin, the department stated in a release.

The department also advised farmers to avoid spraying pesticides and fertilisers on crops during rains.

Traders and farmers at APMCs have been advised to avoid or protect produce coming in for sale, it said.