Farmers have been advised to start wheat harvesting only when the crop is fully mature. A spokesman of the Punjab Agriculture Department said here on Monday that farmers could check maturity by pressing a grain between their teeth. He said, “A cracking sound indicates that the wheat is fully ripe.”
Wheat crop must be harvested at full maturity
LAHORE, Apr 06 (APP): Farmers have been advised to start wheat harvesting only when the crop is fully mature.
A spokesman of the Punjab Agriculture Department said here on Monday that farmers could check maturity by pressing a grain between their teeth. He said, “A cracking sound indicates that the wheat is fully ripe.”
He emphasized that harvesting, threshing, and storage are the most critical stages of wheat production, warning that negligence during these processes can result in yield losses of up to 10–12 percent.
Farmers were urged to make advance arrangements for labor and equipment, including reapers, threshers, tractors, tarpaulins or plastic sheets, and combine harvesters, to ensure timely crop management.
He stated that in cases where combine harvesters are used, a wheat straw chopper can help manage straw and chaff effectively.
The spokesman also advised farmers to plan their harvesting activities in line with weather forecasts broadcast on television or radio.
In the event of rain, harvesting and threshing operations should be suspended and only resumed once conditions improve, he said, adding that harvested wheat should be promptly covered with tarpaulins or plastic sheets to protect it from moisture.
He further said that farmers must tie harvested wheat into relatively small bundles and, where possible, use mechanized methods such as reapers or combine harvesters. Immediate transfer of harvested wheat from fields to storage facilities was also recommended, he maintained.
For storage, the use of new sacks is preferred, and the sacks should be dried in sunlight and treated with pesticides recommended by local agricultural experts to prevent pest infestations, he added.
