Even as Punjab needs effort to rejuvenate its farm sector, others are catching up, some even inching ahead. Wheat production in Madhya Pradesh, UP and Rajasthan has increased at a fast pace. In the current rabi season, target of wheat contribution to the central pool fixed by MP is 130 lakh tonnes; the state has announced aims of surpassing Punjab soon.
"We cannot stop them, we have to ready ourselves for competition," says Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) vice-chancellor Dr BS Dhillon. MP, in fact, raised contribution from 55 LT of wheat in 2010-11 to 85 LT a year later.
Similarly, consumer states like Odisha, Bihar and Assam have started contributing rice to the central pool - 70 LT in the last procurement season, and rising still.
A beginning has been made, and the eastern states are witnessing their Green revolution only now.