Sharp rise in rabi cultivation ups energy consumption

Demand from farm sector ranged between 25% and 35% in second crop season

Sharp increase in yasangi (rabi) cultivation this agriculture year (2020-21) has pushed up the energy consumption significantly in the second crop season mainly the December-March period. There was an 18% spike in demand in March, the crucial stage for major rabi crops, compared to March last. The demand during the period was mainly from the farm sector as the commercial category of energy consumers, comprising tourism, hospitality, and malls did not return to normalcy completely, before the second wave of coronavirus hit the economic activity again. “The energy demand from the agriculture sector ranged between 25% and 35% of the total consumption during the four-month (rabi) period with the peak of 38% that touched in mid-March,” a senior executive of TS-Transco explained.