The Met Office has asked the farmers to step up efforts to remove weeds from the standing crops to help scale up production, besides urging them for planning irrigation plans. It said that the weeds removal is 'very important' since they utilise moisture and food meant for the crops growth. It warned that the weeds inflict a 'considerable' loss in yield on farmers every year.

"Use proper precautions during picking of cotton because the cost of good and clean quality cotton is high than that of the filthy one," the Met said, adding that harvesting of peanuts may be completed and the fields should be ploughed well soon after. Farmers should schedule the irrigation plans for the upcoming Rabi season crops.

Punjab: Cold and dry weather is expected in most upper areas until Dec 10. Fog is likely to prevail in few plain areas of Punjab during morning and night.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Cold and dry weather is expected till next Tuesday. Sindh: Dry weather is expected in most areas during the next four days. Fog is likely to prevail in few plain areas of Upper Sindh.

Baluchistan: Dry weather is expected in the most areas. However, isolated rain-thunderstorm is expected in western Baluchistan during the mid of next week.

Gilgit-Baltistan: Cold and dry weather is expected in the most areas. Kashmir: Cold and dry weather is expected over the period.

Day time temperature is likely to be below normal whereas night time may remain slightly above normal in the most of the agricultural plains of the country over the period. Generally, normal wind pattern may prevail in the most of the agricultural plains of the country.

In the next 24 hours, cold and dry weather is expected in most parts of the country. Fog is likely to prevail in few plain areas of Punjab and Upper Sindh during morning time. "Dry continental air is prevailing over most parts of the country," the Met said.

Weather in Karachi is expected to remain fair to partly cloudy with cool nights, as temperature may range between 16 and 18 degrees Celsius with 35 percent humidity in the next 24 hours.

In the past 24 hours, weather remained cold and dry in most parts of the country, while very cold in northern parts. Skardu and Astore witnessed minus 8 degrees Celsius, each, Gupis minus 7, Gilgit minus 5, Bagrote and Kalam minus 4, each, Parachinar minus 3, Kalat minus 2, Chitral, Dir and Bunji minus 1, each.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019