ANWAR KHAN

KARACHI: The Met Office on Tuesday asked the farmers to step up efforts for protecting vegetable and other food crops from the negative effects of monsoon weather system.

It said that the farmers should make irrigation plans in line with the expected rainy weather, as mainly light rain is likely to come down across the country till Sept 10.

It also alerted the farmers to threats of weeds, saying that removal of unneeded herbs from standing crops should be started manually or by using herbicides without further delays. Weeds, it said, take away a sizeable yield every year.

It also asked the growers to drain out accumulated rainwater from their crops since the water logging is serious threat to yield. “Farmers may take suitable measures to resolve the issue,” it added.

Farmers of rain-crop areas should take measures to preserve rainwater for crops and livestock. It forecast a light to moderate rainfall for most parts of the country till Sept 10.

The Met said that daytime temperature is likely to remain slightly normal in the most parts of the country. However, temperature during night time is expected to remain below normal in the most of the agricultural parts.

“Normal wind pattern may prevail in most of the agricultural plains of the country during the decade, however dust/sand storms may occur in southern Punjab and upper Sindh,” it said.