Dry spell hits farmers in Malwa belt

The extended dry and hot weather is taking its toll on paddy in many parts of the Malwa region. The drought-like conditions are slowly creeping in several parts in Patiala, Sangrur and Barnala districts, which are yet to witness the first showers of the season.

The extended dry and hot weather is taking its toll on paddy in many parts of the Malwa region. The drought-like conditions are slowly creeping in several parts in Patiala, Sangrur and Barnala districts, which are yet to witness the first showers of the season. Farmers in these districts are worried about losing a considerable portion of their crop if relief doesn't come soon.

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As per information obtained from the meteorological department in Patiala, the district has obtained less than 40% of rainfall so far as compared to the last year.

Many areas of the region, including the main fertile belt situated along the Ghaggar river on the Punjab-Haryana border, were completely dry.

Parts of Bhadurgarh, Panjola, and Samana regions were also waiting for the elusive rains.
The situation is worse in Sangrur and Barnala districts. Sangrur this year has got only 25% of rain as compared to the previous year, while most of the Barnala district is yet to receive any rains.

The absence of rains has increased the cost inputs of paddy growers manifold. Most of the farmers in the region were still using tube wells to irrigate their farmlands.

"It's an unusual feature for this time of the year. We have no option but to use tube wells. The use of water pumps has increased our cost inputs by Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 per acre," said Satpal Singh Punia, a leading farmer from Panjola area.

Balwinder Singh Sohal, chief agriculture office in Patiala, said farmers in villages of the Bhunerheri and Ghannaur blocks were suffering the worst.

"Apart from increasing the input costs, the situation may result in decreased yield of paddy," said Sohal.

Delay in monsoon has affected the marginal and small farmers particularly as they do not have tubewells installed.

To add to farmers woes, power supply continued to be erratic and much less than the requisite eight-hour a day. On Tuesday and Wednesday, many areas in Patiala, Sangrur, Nabha and Barnala remained without power for nearly four to eight hours.

"Leave aside eight hours, we are getting electricity for only four to five hours a day for the last ten days," lamented a farmer from Devigarh village.

Meanwhile, the Doplar Radar system of met department, installed in Punjabi University, Patiala, provided no hope in the immediate future.

"We are not witnessing any wind disturbance, which means there is no chance of rains in the region in the coming three to four days," said chief scientist at the Doplar Radar JR Parsad.