Flood-hit Haryana records lower paddy acreage

Flood-affected Haryana may see a shortfall of about 50,000 hectares as against the target this kharif season for paddy crop sowing. Given the average yield of non-basmati paddy, the estimated shortage due to this would be about 275,000 tonnes. Besides, in the area under floods where the water has receded, non-basmati paddy has been replaced with basmati (as it is too late to grow non-basmati there). The average yield of the basmati variety is half of the non-basmati.

According the Director of the agriculture department, A K Yadav, they had a target of 1.15 million hectares under paddy this kharif season and this is likely to be only 1.1 m ha. The crop loss may be about 0.5 million tonnes as compared to last year.

“It is too early to ascertain the extent of actual damage, as we are trying our best to arrange nurseries for paddy and also mobilising our agriculture extension workers to educate farmers for direct seeding, which can help them with less water requirement and shorter duration of maturity,” said Paramvir Singh, agriculture minister. The second major kharif crop of Haryana is cotton and the outlook is also pessimistic there. The area under cotton has dropped from 0.51 m ha last year to 0.45 m ha this year.

. About 9,000 hectares was affected by floods. Estimates suggest the state may lose about 190,000 bales ( a bale is 170 kg).

Paddy sowing has been done on 0.98 m ha and it should be over by August 10. Cotton sowing was complete in May/June.