ISLAMABAD, Jan 4: The Metrological Department has forecast a week-long series of rains across the country from Friday night that would have beneficial effects on various crops, fruits, recharge water reservoirs and lakes.

“This rain spell is very timely and good news for farmers of Barani areas where wheat crop needs water,” Qadir Bakhsh Baloch, Agriculture Development Commissioner of the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock.

He said farmers in Barani areas, where 20 per cent of the country’s wheat crop is sown, were facing water shortages. Now, he hoped, things would improve.

The rains would also have positive impacts on crops and fruits in the non-Barani areas where watercourses are normally cleaned in January causing a stop to the irrigation water supply.

The Met Office has said that rains would also help the farmers recover the damages caused by termite to crops and vegetables.

The office has forecast slight rains in Punjab and Islamabad areas till Sunday. Rains will get momentum from Jan 7 to Jan 11 in these areas.