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| Normal kharif in Punjab, despite flooding |
| Komal Amit Gera / Chandigarh Jul 28, 2010, 00:42 IST |
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Despite floods and crop damage in some pockets, Punjab expects a good harvest from the kharif crop.
The transplantation of paddy (basmati) is in full swing and would last till mid-August. The non-basmati is sown till June 30, as the yield dwindles if it is transplanted later. Paddy is projected as sown on 2.8 million hectares. According to the department of agriculture, total paddy production in 2009-10 was 11.28 mt and it is expected to touch 10.8 mt this year. Agriculture minister Succha Singh Langha told Business Standard the heavy rainfall at the onset of the monsoon was a curse on farmers over 300,000 hectares but the state machinery arranged paddy nurseries and re-transplantation had started at places where the water had receded.
The final paddy output may skew towards basmati, as it is the late sowing variety. The crop damage of non-bsamati would be replaced by basmati. Toria (rapeseed) and maize can also be grown as substitutes in the flood-hit areas.
The state receives average rainfall of 660 mm in this season and the rain has been normal till date. The floods were also due to breach of the irrigation network and rain was not the sole cause.
Cotton is projected to be grown over 550,000 hectares, about 40,000 ha more than last year.The output may touch 2.5 million bales (a bale is 170 kg), 20 per cent more than last year. An increase of about 10,000 ha is expected in maize over last year, the area being 170,000 ha. The state produced about 452,000 tonnes of maize last year.
According to a senior official in the agriculture department, the distribution of rain has been as desired. The cotton belt of Punjab had less than the paddy-growing areas, which is desirable.
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