Farmers rush to wrap up harvest near border

Farmers living along the nearly 200-km-long International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir are racing against time to complete the harvest process amid heightened tension following the Pahalgam terror attack.

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In the three districts of Jammu, Samba, and Kathua, about 1.25 lakh hectares of agricultural land falls within the shelling range of Pakistan.

Villages like Treva, Mahashe-de-Kothe, Chandu Chak, Gharana, Bulla Chak, and Korotana Kalan are witnessing a flurry of activity, with families working day and night to finish harvesting, dry the grain, and pack it for delivery to mills.

While over 90 per cent of the wheat and other crops have been harvested, the process of harvesting the rest, packaging them and sending them to mills remains.

"We are racing against time to complete harvesting," Santosh Singh, a 50-year farmer from Treva village in the Arnia sector said, adding "there is very little time left."

Treva, located just 1.5 km from the border, is directly under threat from Pakistan Rangers.

Since the 22 April Pahalgam attack that left 26 people dead, the farming community in Treva is anxious and authorities have responded with urgency.