It was only February three days ago, yet the sun made foreheads trickle with sweat—much to the disappointment of those who longed for a refreshing February.
And now, nature seems to have more in store. According to a recent report released by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), “maximum temperatures for March 2025 are likely to be above normal over most parts of India”, except for some southernmost regions in peninsular India. However, rainfall across the country is estimated to remain normal.
Dr Nasir Hamid Masoodi, associate professor and senior scientist at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology in J&K, says that temperature can profusely affect flowering patterns and physiology of any plant.
“When the temperature rises earlier than usual, it often accelerates plant growth,” he remarks. This leads to stunted plant growth and imbalanced blooming patterns.
Satellite Cloud Top Brightness Temperature (CTBT) animation from INSAT 3DR ( 03.03.2025 0645-1215 IST) showing convective clouds associated with the Western Disturbance over Western Himalayan Region.@ndmaindia @NHAI_Official @DDNewslive @DDNational @moesgoi @airnewsalerts pic.twitter.com/P1jDDQfB9K
— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) March 3, 2025
The Tulip Festival in Kashmir which used to open to the public in May and April in previous years, has been scheduled for March this year.
“The blooming period for these plants has significantly advanced,” Dr Masoodi explained. He said disrupted flowering patterns influence the insect population, which in turn impacts the biodiversity depending on them. Flowering or crop yield can be good or bad, completely depending on climate conditions.
Dr Masoodi also pointed out that in the absence of any climate change-adaptive methods, the “damage is likely to be severe”. “It is not entirely possible to reverse the situation, however, suitable measures can be taken,” he said.
A report by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute says that without preventive steps, climate change may affect India’s wheat productivity by about 8.4 to 19.3 per cent in 2050 and even 18 to 41 per cent in 2080. Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal are particularly vulnerable.
In 2022, the wheat produce crashed on account of irregular weather patterns which resulted in the government imposing a ban on wheat exports. The Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) chairman said that action was taken to “meet domestic demands while protecting farmers’ income.
With the IMD forecasting a hotter spring, concerns are mounting over potential impacts on this year’s wheat yield.
