Unusual heat wave scorches India's wheat crop

Описание: (29 Apr 2022)
FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4377625
ASSOCIATED PRESS
New Delhi - 27 April 2022
1. Wide of smoke rising from the burning landfill as vehicles drive past
HEADLINE: Heatwave scorches India's wheat crop, snags export plans
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ARCHIVE: Ransih Kalan, Punjab state - 13 March 2021
2. Workers spraying pesticides on wheat crop
ASSOCIATED PRESS
New Delhi - 28 April 2022
3. Wide of traffic moving near India Gate War memorial
4. Man drinking water
ANNOTATION: An unusually early heatwave has brought extreme temperatures to large swathes of India's northwest, central and eastern regions.
5. Woman sitting on floor, fanning herself
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lucknow - 28 April 2022
6. Mid of woman drinking water
7. Mid of vegetable vendor sleeping next to his stall, his face covered with a piece of cloth
ANNOTATION: Temperatures breached the 45 C (113 F) mark in many cities across India.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
New Delhi - 27 April 2022
8. Various of a landfill site on fire
ANNOTATION: Gigantic landfills in India's capital New Delhi have caught fire in recent weeks.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ARCHIVE: Ransih Kalan, Punjab state - 13 March 2021
9. Close of wheat
ANNOTATION: And the record-shattering heatwave has also reduced wheat yields.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Chandigarh - 27 April 2022
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Devinder Sharma, agriculture policy expert:
"(The) month of March is very important because that's the time when the filling of the grain takes place, you know, in the standing crop, that's the particular time. And when you don't get the right temperature and then the temperature suddenly zoomed so it caused shrivelling of the grains. The luster was gone and of course the yield dropped because of the shrivelling."
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ARCHIVE: Ransih Kalan, Punjab state - 13 March 2021
11. Pan of wheat field
ANNOTATION: Even though India is the world's second-largest producer of wheat, it exports only a small fraction of its harvest.
12. Workers spraying pesticides on wheat crop
ANNOTATION: But it had been looking to capitalize on the global disruption to wheat supplies from Russia's war in Ukraine.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Chandigarh - 27 April 2022
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Devinder Sharma,  agriculture policy expert:
"The drop in supplies, you know, because of the Russian and Ukraine, war is about 30%, as we all know. And we also know that 55 countries were dependent on the food coming from the Baltic region and 55 is not a small number. So you can't be standing along with another 55 (countries) looking for, you know, wheat supplies next year so I think we have to be very watchful and careful."
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ARCHIVE: Ransih Kalan, Punjab - 13 March 2021
14. Wide of a tractor being driven in a field
ANNOTATION: Exports look uncertain given the tricky balance India must maintain between demand and supply.
15. Various of workers spraying pesticides on wheat crop
ANNOTATION: India needs about 25 million tons (27.5 million U.S. tons) of wheat for the vast food welfare program that usually feeds more than 80 million people.
STORYLINE:
An early, record-shattering heat wave in India has reduced wheat yields.
The heat wave is raising questions about how India will balance its domestic needs with goals to increase exports and make up for shortfalls due to Russia's war in Ukraine.
Huge landfills in New Delhi have caught fire in recent weeks.
Schools in eastern Indian state Odisha have been shut for a week and in neighbouring West Bengal, schools are stocking up on oral rehydration salts for kids.
Farm workers are among the most vulnerable.

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