Panic grips farmers as midnight showers drench paddy grains in markets in Amritsar district

Unseasonal midnight showers accompanied by gusty winds brought a sudden dip in temperature across the district, but also raised concerns among farmers as harvested paddy lying in grain markets got drenched. The rainfall, which began around midnight and continued intermittently till early morning, soaked grains that had not been adequately covered, raising fears of damage and quality loss among farmers.

As per officials from the agriculture and marketing departments, several grain markets reported dampened stocks as traders and farmers were unable to protect all paddy heaps in time. With the arrival of paddy picking up pace in recent days, the sudden rain disrupted the procurement process and created logistical challenges for agencies.

Farmers said the moisture content in the paddy would lead to delays in lifting and payments. “Many of us brought our crop to the market only yesterday. The rain has drenched grains lying in the open. Now, we will have to spend extra time and labour to dry it again,” said Gurwinder Singh, a farmer from Ajnala.

The Meteorological Department has predicted more showers in the coming days, further adding to the anxiety of farmers whose crop is ready for harvest. “We are worried that continuous rainfall will delay harvesting and cause lodging of standing crops,” said another farmer.

The strong winds accompanying the rain also flattened portions of the late sown basmati crop in parts of the district. Agricultural experts have advised farmers to wait for fields to dry before resuming harvesting to avoid further grain loss.

Meanwhile, the district administration has asked procurement agencies and mandi board to ensure that adequate tarpaulins and coverings were provided in mandis to protect grains from further damage.