Untimely rain accompanied by gusty winds wreaked havoc in Punjab and Haryana on Sunday, flattening standing paddy crops in fields and soaking harvested produce lying in grain markets, dealing a double blow to farmers just as harvesting and procurement were gathering pace.
The fresh spell of rain has heightened concerns over crop losses and harvesting delays, with farmers in both states alleging inadequate arrangements by the state governments to protect the harvested produce at grain markets.
The light to moderate rain drenched thousands of metric tonnes of paddy heaps and sacks lying open at purchase centres across the region.
In Haryana, the rain compounded existing procurement delays linked to high moisture content in paddy and a strike by rice millers.
In Punjab’s Malwa, waterlogging was reported in parts of Bathinda, Fazilka and Muktsar districts, while farmers in Sangrur and other areas reported damage to standing paddy, as ripening plant stalks fell over or broke.
Peak paddy harvesting season in southern Punjab commences on October 15 and the inclement weather is expected to delay harvesting. State agriculture authorities said field officials had been instructed to assess crop loss instances.
Fazilka chief agriculture officer Kulwant Singh said the Abohar area recorded 10 mm of rainfall, while Fazilka block received 18 mm. The basmati crop in Fazilka block may have suffered 15-20% losses, he said, adding that the exact extent of damage would be established after physical verification of fields.
{{/usCountry}}Fazilka chief agriculture officer Kulwant Singh said the Abohar area recorded 10 mm of rainfall, while Fazilka block received 18 mm. The basmati crop in Fazilka block may have suffered 15-20% losses, he said, adding that the exact extent of damage would be established after physical verification of fields.
{{/usCountry}}This year, paddy was cultivated on 1.31 lakh hectares in the district, of which only around 4% had been harvested so far.
Muktsar chief agriculture officer Jagsir Singh said around five villages in the Malout block reported crop lodging (bending or breaking of the stalks). “Field inputs show lodging on around 4,000 acres in a cluster of villages. A loss-assessment exercise will follow. The impact elsewhere in the district was minimal. But more rains will push harvesting,” he added.
Bathinda chief agriculture officer Harpreet Kaur said around 1% of the district’s rice area had been harvested so far. “Paddy harvesting in Bathinda traditionally begins around October 20. Due to rain, farmers in areas where water has accumulated might have to wait longer for fields to dry. Fields with semi-sandy soil are likely to be less affected. Our teams are examining the worst affected areas,” she said.
In Qila Bharian village of Sangrur district, farmer Satnam Singh said strong winds flattened the standing paddy crop on his two-acre land. He sought compensation from the state government for the losses.
Waterlogged mandis trigger protests
At Fazilka’s grain market, farmer unions staged a protest against the state government over its alleged failure to protect agricultural produce from rain. In a symbolic protest, the protesters brought out boats into the market as paddy produce lay soaked in rainwater.
The protesters also blocked the Fazilka-Ferozepur National Highway, demanding immediate measures to drain accumulated water, assess the damage and ensure proper arrangements for paddy procurement and storage. The protest was called off after assurances by Fazilka MLA Narinderpal Singh Sawna.
Gurbakshish Singh of the BKU Sidhupur said rain had flattened paddy that was already 50-60% ripe, causing losses at a critical stage. He blamed slow procurement for compounding farmers’ difficulties, stating that if the crop was harvested on time, it would have helped farmers meet cultivation expenses and repay loans, especially those who leased land for their livelihood.
Criticising the state government, Harish Nadha of BKU Dakunda (Dhaner) said farmers had put in six months of hard work, yet their paddy produce was left exposed to rain. He demanded criminal cases against the officials responsible for the alleged negligence.
Oppn targets AAP govt
Opposition parties also targeted the AAP government over the damage.
Ludhiana MP and former Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring accused the government of prioritising publicity over farmers’ welfare and demanded compensation for every affected farmer.
Lashing out at the state government, Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon said if mandis were facing such conditions at the beginning of the paddy harvesting season, farmers could encounter even greater difficulties in the coming days.
Targeting chief minister Bhagwant Mann, Dhillon said instead of telling jokes on public platforms, the government should focus on resolving farmers’ problems on the ground.
SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal demanded a special “girdawari” to assess the losses suffered by farmers, while alleging that the AAP government had failed to compensate farmers whose crops were destroyed in floods and hailstorms over the past two years.
He also demanded adequate drainage facilities in all grain markets to protect harvested produce.
Punjab agriculture minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian did not respond to repeated calls and messages for a comment.
Haryana farmers battle rain damage after procurement delays
In Haryana, rain disrupted harvesting and procurement operations at several grain markets, including those in Narwana in Jind district and Dabwali in Sirsa district.
The fresh spell of rain has come at a critical time, when farmers are already struggling to get their produce procured due to moisture-related restrictions.
Increased soil moisture after rain could delay harvesting even after the weather clears, as fields would take time to dry, said farmers.
According to the India Meteorological Department data, by 5.30 pm, Ambala recorded 39 mm rain, followed by Kaithal at 16.5 mm, Karnal at 14.5 mm, Panchkula at 13.5 mm, Kurukshetra at 7.5 mm and Sirsa at 0.4 mm.
At Karnal’s new grain market, farmer Isham Singh of Kambopura village said rainwater had soaked paddy lying in the open, including produce from his two-acre farm. Another farmer, Yashvir Sharma, alleged that market committees and commission agents were unprepared for the rain, leaving much of the produce uncovered.
Farmer leader Bahadur Mehla demanded compensation and relaxation in the permissible moisture content limit of 17%.
The procurement was already affected by a reported strike by rice millers. Farmers at Gharaunda alleged that their paddy was not being procured because millers were absent.
Haryana agriculture and farmers’ welfare minister Shyam Singh Rana, who inspected grain markets in Karnal district, said the rain would further delay operations but maintained that the government was committed to procuring every grain produced by farmers.
During his visit to Gharaunda grain market, a group of farmers raised anti-BJP slogans, alleging that political leaders visited mandis only for publicity without resolving their concerns.
Rana acknowledged that lifting had slowed in some areas due to rain and the rice millers’ strike. He said efforts were under way to accelerate the process through discussions and that lifting would gain momentum once millers received their allocations.
Four-day yellow alert: More rain threatens to prolong suffering
The threat is not over, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting more rain across Punjab and Haryana over the next four days (October 12 to 15).
A yellow alert has been sounded for both states, cautioning against rain with thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds of 40-50 kmph at isolated places.
Farmers fear that continued wet conditions could prolong harvesting, compound crop losses, and further disrupt procurement and lifting.
Speaking about the Sunday rain, IMD Chandigarh director Surender Paul said it was caused by a Western Disturbance (WD) affecting the region. As the WD is expected to remain active for the next few days, chances of rain will continue till Thursday.