NEW DELHI: A prolonged spell of dense fog combined with high pollution levels in North Delhi’s Burari, Jagatpur and adjoining rural pockets is causing severe damage to standing crops, farmers say, prompting fresh concerns over livelihoods already strained by rising input costs.
Moisture-laden fog mixed with toxic pollutants is reportedly settling as a black layer on leaves, stunting crop growth and reducing yields.
What initially emerged as a public-health worry has now escalated into a direct agricultural crisis. For several consecutive days, visibility has remained low while fields remain drenched in heavy moisture and suspended pollutants. Farmers warn that if the weather trend continues, both the quality and quantity of produce could decline sharply.
The most visible impact is being seen in green leafy vegetables such as spinach, fenugreek and coriander, along with flower crops, which are particularly sensitive to environmental fluctuations.
Farmers explain that while natural winter moisture normally benefits crops like wheat and mustard, the presence of toxic particles in the fog is reversing that advantage and inflicting harm.
To limit losses, many cultivators have begun covering their fields with polythene sheets and makeshift crop covers. However, these emergency measures are adding to already rising production costs.
“The winter and dense fog are mainly affecting the crops of green vegetables and fruits,” farmer Mhfooz Khan told Millennium Post, voicing concern over the persistent weather stress. Growers also complain that despite repeated losses during such environmental events, compensation or relief seldom reaches the ground.
They are urging the government to strengthen pollution-control measures and ensure timely financial support for affected households.
The combined impact of fog and pollution has intensified anxiety across farming communities in the region. With crops deteriorating and margins shrinking, farmers now await concrete administrative intervention to prevent further damage and safeguard livelihoods.