Bathinda/Sangrur/Jalandhar/Ludhiana, April 9 -- With the harvest festival of Baisakhi just five days away, unseasonal rain, hailstorms and high-velocity winds have flattened the standing wheat crop, disrupting harvesting across Punjab by at least 10 days and leaving farmers worried about potential losses at a crucial stage of the crop cycle. The sudden spell of adverse weather, particularly in the semi-arid Malwa belt, has led to waterlogging and widespread lodging of standing wheat crops. Slushy fields have made it difficult for farmers to use combine harvesters, forcing them to wait until crops dry to optimal moisture levels. Officials said wheat arrivals in mandis are now expected to begin only after Baisakhi. Punjab agriculture minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian said crops spread over nearly 1.3-lakh acres have been affected by recent rainfall and hailstorms. In the ongoing rabi season, wheat has been sown over more than 34 lakh hectares across Punjab. Fazilka has emerged as the worst-affected district, with extensive crop damage reported following heavy rain and hailstorms on Tuesday night. According to official estimates, nearly 55,000 acres of rabi crops were affected in a single night, pushing the total impacted area in the district this season to around 99,000 acres. Fazilka chief agriculture officer Harpreet Kaur said: "Until Tuesday, about 44,000 acres of land was affected, but the adverse climatic conditions affected another 55,000 acres after heavy rain was reported in different parts of the district last night. Field teams will audit the scale of crop damage in the affected areas." Initial assessments indicate that nearly 65,000 acres have suffered up to 25% wheat crop loss. Wheat was sown on approximately 4.85 lakh acres in the district this season. In Bathinda, nearly 4% of the total 6.35 lakh acres under wheat cultivation has been affected, with 18 villages in the agriculture block reported as the worst hit. Overall, crops in 24 villages have suffered damage. Bathinda chief agriculture officer Harbans Singh Sidhu said: "Crops in 24 villages were affected and teams from the revenue and agriculture departments started a special "girdawari" to assess crop loss. We expect a good yield as the season remained conducive for wheat until unfriendly weather conditions gripped the region. Dry weather conditions in the next few days will be a breather for the farmers." In neighbouring Muktsar, continuous rainfall over the past 10 days has left fields waterlogged and slushy, delaying harvesting operations. Muktsar chief agriculture officer Jagseer Singh said: "Harvesting will be delayed by up to a week due to the sudden change in weather conditions. The impact of the hailstorm and rains is being assessed." In Sangrur and Barnala districts, heavy rainfall since Tuesday afternoon has triggered widespread lodging of wheat crops. Sangrur recorded an average rainfall of 12.33 mm, while Barnala received 19.6 mm. Farmers in the region fear losses and expressed scepticism about receiving timely compensation. Dalbir Singh, a farmer from Duggan village in Sangrur, said nearly 30% of his crop has lodged. Sangrur chief agriculture officer Dharminderjit Singh said: "While lodging has been reported, the overall damage in Sangrur and Malerkotla remains limited compared to more severe impacts seen in Bathinda, Muktsar, and Fazilka districts." Barnala chief agriculture officer Sukhpal Singh said the situation remains under control but cautioned that grain quality will depend on upcoming weather conditions, as excess moisture could lead to discoloration if flattened crops remain in contact with damp soil. The Doaba region has also reported waterlogging and flattening of standing crops after receiving at least 22 mm of rainfall. Agriculture department teams have been deployed to assess the situation. Jalandhar chief agriculture officer Jaswinder Singh said: "Rainfall at this stage is a cause of concern. However, no damage has been reported so far. The damage is the least as of now." In Ludhiana, around 7-8% of the wheat crop has suffered lodging due to thunderstorms accompanied by light rain. Agriculture experts warn that continued rainfall and strong winds at this stage could reduce yields and affect grain quality. Flattened crops are more vulnerable to moisture-related damage, including shriveling, blackening and discolouration, which can lower market value. Officials have advised farmers to harvest only when crops are adequately dry to maintain quality....