In the aftermath of heavy rainfall between July 7 and July 10, the paddy farmers in Punjab and Haryana are facing distress as a significant portion of their cultivated land is underwater.
This excessive rainfall has caused the submergence of standing paddy crops in several districts of both states, including Amritsar, Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur, Fatehgarh in Punjab, and Ambala, Kurukshetra, and Yamunanagar in Haryana.
Approximately 250,000 hectares of paddy fields in 14 districts of Punjab and 150,000 hectares in seven districts of Haryana have been affected by the flooding.
These two states together contribute around 20% to India's overall rice production, making the situation a matter of great concern for the agriculture sector and the country's food security. The overflow of water from Sutlej, Ravi, and Beas rivers, which are tributaries of the Indus River in Himachal Pradesh, has further worsened the situation, affecting adjoining districts of Punjab, such as Jalandhar and Firozpur.
Jagmohan Singh Uppal, the general secretary of Bhartiya Kishan Union of Dakonda, expressed concerns that paddy cannot be resown in 50% of the affected fields, and the current damage indicates a projected 30% less crop yield in the upcoming kharif marketing season. If there is further heavy rainfall, the crop losses could be even more severe.
To save their crops during these adverse weather conditions, farmers are facing the challenge of increased consumption of fertilizers and pesticides, which might not be feasible for all due to the associated costs. Moreover, the heavy rainfall has disrupted the normal sowing window for paddy, and some fields remain unfit for tractor operations and resowing due to sand and silt deposition.
Ramandeep Singh Mann, an agriculture policy expert based in Punjab, highlighted that the delay in sowing results in yield losses, and the only option now is to plant two short-duration varieties of paddy, PR-126 and PUSA-1509, which may lead to reduced yields per acre.
Punjab had already covered 86% area of the expected paddy cultivation by the first week of July, but the incessant rain from July 7-10 led to the submergence of nearly 237,000 hectares of paddy fields. The Punjab Agriculture Department is yet to conduct a special 'girdawari' or crop inspection to assess the actual damage.
Haryana is also facing the brunt of the erratic rainfall, with standing sugarcane and vegetable crops being devastated in addition to paddy fields. Approximately 400,000 hectares of agricultural land, including 100,000 hectares under sugarcane, have been affected.
Furthermore, damage to electric motors and tube wells, used for groundwater irrigation, is adding to the farmers' losses.
The situation is further intensified by the disruption in electricity supply, as electric poles pose risks of electrocution due to the submerged lands. While agriculturists anticipate that the affected paddy areas may be resown once the heavy rainfall situation normalizes, there might be a shift towards short-duration crops like maize, especially in Punjab.
However, the productivity of paddy crops is expected to be impacted, and the overall outcome will largely depend on the rainfall during critical stages of crops in August and September.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts more heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, and Haryana, which could further affect the farmers' efforts to recover from the losses and resume cultivation. The authorities are yet to respond to queries about the measures taken to address the farmers' distress and the extent of damage.
In conclusion, the heavy rainfall and flooding in Punjab and Haryana have taken a toll on the paddy farmers, leaving a substantial portion of their cultivated land underwater. The potential decrease in crop production could impact India's rice output and pose challenges to the agriculture sector and food security. Efforts are being made to assess the damage and recover from the losses, but further heavy rainfall could augment the situation, making it a critical concern for the entire region.
