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Punjab heads towards bumperpaddy production this season
The state has produced 188 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of paddy this year as against the previously expected figure of 182 LMT for the year. Nearly 31.93 hectares of area was under paddy cultivation in Punjab.
Jalandhar: Punjab is headed towards bumper paddy production this kharif season, the latest procurement data showed on Wednesday.
The state has produced 188 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of paddy this year as against the previously expected figure of 182 LMT for the year. Nearly 31.93 hectares of area was under paddy cultivation in Punjab.
According to the figures updated till Wednesday, farmers brought 172 LMT of non-basmati yield in the grain markets in the ongoing harvesting season, while 16 LMT of basmati production reached the purchasing centres.
Punjab touched the figures in a season marred by adversities such as floods that caused much damage to the newly sown paddy crop in July. According to reports, paddy was resown on 1.20 lakh hectares of area in the majorly affected districts, including Patiala, Jalandhar, Sangrur, Mansa, Ferozepur, Kapurthala and Fatehgarh Sahib.
Punjab agriculture director Jaswant Singh said going by the weather conditions throughout this season, the department was expecting 182 LMT of paddy production this year as the crop was extensively damaged due to floods.
“The collective efforts of the department and farmers have led to fruitful results as we are likely to exceed last year’s paddy production of 205 LMT. We are now aiming to touch 208 LMT of production as nearly 7% of harvesting is yet to be done,” Singh said.
He added that the paddy yield per hectare has considerably increased, ranging from 78-81 quintals per hectare in the state. “Apart from floods initially, the crop health remained good throughout the season as there were no attacks of pests and disease on the crop.”
He added that the basmati production in the state has increased by 20% this season till date.
Sangrur district recorded an average of 81 quintals per hectare yield in this district. Last year, the paddy yield was 76 quintals per hectare. Sangrur topped non-basmati production with 18.9 LMT, followed by Ludhiana at 17.01 LMT, Patiala 12.81 LMT, Bathinda 12.37 LMT, Moga 11.32 LMT, Ferozepur 11.08 LMT and Jalandhar 10 LMT.
As far as basmati varieties are concerned, Amritsar recorded 4.9 LMT of production followed by Fazilka 2.27 at LMT, Patiala 2.2 LMT and Sangrur 1.60 LMT.
