The Punjab government’s decision to advance the paddy procurement season by two weeks — from the original date of October 1 to September 16 — has hit a serious hurdle, as floods and incessant rainfall have delayed harvesting across large parts of the state.
The state cabinet had approved the early procurement schedule on Monday, authorising the opening of 1,872 mandis (grain markets) to facilitate the process. However, officials from the food and civil supplies department have expressed concerns, stating that field-level conditions are not conducive for the smooth rollout of procurement in many areas.
In June, chief minister Bhagwant Mann had announced plans to advance procurement, citing widespread sowing of short-duration paddy varieties. However, that plan has now been disrupted, as even early-maturing crops have been affected by the prolonged rainfall.
“We do not expect fresh arrivals until mid-October. Harvesting has been pushed back by at least two to three weeks in most regions,” said a senior official in the food department.
Flood-hit districts such as Kapurthala, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, and Fazilka have reported widespread agricultural damage. These areas are unlikely to have operational mandis by September 16 due to inaccessible fields and delayed crop readiness, officials said.
This season, paddy has been sown over 32.5 lakh hectares in the state, including 6.81 lakh hectares under premium aromatic basmati rice. Much of the basmati cultivation lies in the Majha and Doaba belts — regions severely impacted by flooding. Officials say it is still unclear how much of the submerged farmland had paddy varieties that are eligible for procurement under the Minimum Support Price (MSP).
{{/usCountry}}This season, paddy has been sown over 32.5 lakh hectares in the state, including 6.81 lakh hectares under premium aromatic basmati rice. Much of the basmati cultivation lies in the Majha and Doaba belts — regions severely impacted by flooding. Officials say it is still unclear how much of the submerged farmland had paddy varieties that are eligible for procurement under the Minimum Support Price (MSP).
{{/usCountry}}In July, Punjab had predicted a bumper crop of 180 lakh tonnes, buoyed by favourable sowing conditions. However, the situation changed in August after relentless rains led to excess water release from dams, causing floods in several low-lying districts.
“The crop yield will be impacted, and it will be a challenge to meet earlier projections,” said Jaswant Singh, director of agriculture. He estimates a 10–15 percent decline in yield, adding that a girdawari (crop loss survey) is expected to begin next week and take around two weeks to complete. “The extent of loss will be clear only after floodwaters recede and district-wise assessments are compiled,” he said.
A senior official from the revenue department added that not just submerged fields, but also crops in unaffected areas would undergo quality checks to assess suitability for procurement.