SWABI: The prolonged dry spell has badly affected the mustard crop which is grown in the arid areas of the district.

This was revealed by the leaders of Kashtkar Coordination Council, Kisan Board and Anjuman-i-Kasthkaran, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while speaking at a joint meeting here on Friday.

The recent light rain in the district was far less than the mustard crop’s requirement, said the participants, adding that about four to five mm of rain in a month was required to help the mustard grow well and give a good yield. The participants said that as compared with other crops the impact of drought was severe on the mustard crop, as the crop didn’t receive rain since its cultivation in September.

“Usually mustard crop blossomed in the month of January, giving a fascinating view to the onlookers, but this time around the fields have yet to turn yellow due to dry spell,” said Liaqat Yousufzai, general secretary of the Kashtkar Council. “We are expecting a low yield of mustard this year as the plants have grown very thin for want of rainfall”.

Khalid Khan, district president of Kisan Board, said that adequate rain in the current month and February would be good for the crop. Sher Alam Gohati, district president of Anjuman-i-Kasthkaran, said that government used to turn a deaf year to the sufferings of growers whenever they were hit by a calamity.

ALLEGED CRIMINAL ARRESTED: The police arrested an alleged criminal along with an accomplice from Shewa village the other day, said district police officer, Sajjad Khan, while addressing a press conference.

He said that the outlaw, Israr Kashmiri, hailing from Turu area of Mardan district, was involved in murder, attempted murder and extortion in Swabi, Mardan and Nowshera districts. He said that the outlaw was arrested during a raid in Shewa village on a tip-off, adding that Fazal Khaliq, who gave shelter to the alleged criminal, was also held in the raid. The outlaw was booked under section 216 of PPC.

Published in Dawn, January 18th, 2015

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