India, March 31 -- Delay in harvesting standing crops of wheat and maize on over 7 million ha in Bihar will be disastrous for farmers

The 21-day nationwide lockdown invoked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in response to the novel coronavirus disease pandemic (COVID-19) has delayed the harvest of rabi crops across the country. In Bihar, standing crops of wheat and maize over more than 7 million hectare (ha) are under threat.

Small and marginal farmers - owning less than a hectare - are most at risk. More than 90 per cent of the state's landholdings are with them.

Bihar has about 7.9 million ha under cultivation.

Surendra Ram of Nalanda district is one such farmer. He had cultivated wheat on his 0.3 ha farm this rabi season. Despite the...