SWABI: Wheat harvest has commenced in Topi tehsil, while growers in rest of the district will begin doing so in a few days.

The growers told Dawn on Tuesday that relatively cold weather and abundant rainfall delayed wheat harvest.

The harvest has begun in rain-fed region of Topi. Farmers in Gadoon Amazai mountainous belt are expected to follow suit.

Liaqat Yousafzai, central general secretary of Kashtkar Coordination Council, said rains had delayed the wheat harvest for about 10 days. He said wheat harvest in irrigated regions would begin in about 10 days.

He said mostly workers from Swat came here when the harvesting season began.

Salim Alizai, a farmer from Topi region, said per day wage of a worker ranged from Rs800 to Rs1,400 during the peak period as landowners wanted to complete the harvest and threshing task as soon as possible as any rain during this period could damage the grain

The farmers recalled that harvested crop in a number of villages was destroyed due to intermittent rains last year, causing them huge losses.

POPPY DESTROYED: The police destroyed poppy crop grown over 15 kanals of land in hilly Qadara area, DSP Jawad Khan said.

He said the police had already destroyed poppy crop in mountainous region of Narangi in Gadoon Amazai.

He said farmers had cultivated poppy in secluded places to hide it from police. However, he said the revenue department officials conducted a secret survey and informed the police about the areas where the poppy was cultivated.

Another police official, who participated in the operation, said the crop was at critical stage of ripening, and that growers were asked not to interfere with the police action.

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2024