E-Paper
Ludhiana: Paddy procurement struggling to pick up pace amid crop disease, yield loss
Voicing their concerns, farmers at various mandis highlighted that the situation is particularly challenging this season due to the outbreak of widespread crop diseases including discoloration, false smut and Rice Black Streaked Dwarf Virus
The paddy procurement in Ludhiana district is struggling to pick up pace this season, having achieved only 27% of the target so far. Officials say the slow pace is the result of unseasonal rains during the critical harvesting period, which lead to severe yield loss and widespread diseases in paddy crops reaching the mandis.
According to official data, state procurement agencies in Ludhiana have procured just 4.5 lakh metric tonnes (MT) against this year’s target of 16.56 lakh MT. Of the total paddy that arrived in the mandis, 4,95,521 MT have been procured, leaving 41,114 MT yet to be purchased. As per officials, the paddy procurement across Punjab will continue until November 30, 2025.
Voicing their concerns, farmers at various mandis highlighted that the situation is particularly challenging this season due to the outbreak of widespread crop diseases including discoloration, false smut and Rice Black Streaked Dwarf Virus (RBSDV).
Jaspal Singh, a farmer from Bahadur Ke village at dana mandi near Jalandhar, said, “The procurement agencies are asking us to provide extra kilograms of paddy along with the standard 37.5 kg jute bag, which is creating an additional burden on us. On top of that, we are not even getting the MSP of ₹2,389 for our crop, making the situation even more difficult.”
According to a recent survey conducted by the district agriculture department, false smut has affected nearly 28,045 acres of paddy, with an average infection rate of 7.18% resulting in an estimated yield loss of 2.15 quintals per acre. The worst hit areas include Jagraon (7,000 acres), Pakhowal (5,200 acres), Sidhwan Bet (4,500 acres), and Machoha (3,000 acres).
Meanwhile, RBSDV has been observed on 1,797 acres, with an average infection rate of 9.27% and estimated yield loss of 2.78 quintals per acre. The virus is most severe in Machhiwara, affecting 30 to 100% of plants and in Sahnewal, with 30 to 75% infection.
Additionally, block wise data shows varying levels of infestation. Dehlon, Pakhowal, and Ludhiana blocks reported 10 to 12% infection due to false smut. Machhiwara and Samrala are witnessing moderate intensity of both false smut and RBSDV, while Raikot, Sidhwan Bet, and Jagraon have comparatively lower infection rates but over larger areas, indicating widespread exposure.
When contacted, district food supplies controller (Ludhiana West), Sartaj Singh Cheema, said,” The quality of crops reaching at the mandis are not at par with the procurement standards of the central government. We have urged the central agency to provide some relaxation in the norms for the smooth procurement. Additionally, samplings from four mandis across Ludhiana have been collected to examine the quality of crops but the reports are yet to come.”
