Farmers face crop loss of Rs 10k cr due to sharp fall in yield

All-India Congress Committee secretary and Jalandhar Cantt MLA Pargat Singh on Monday visited the grain market at the flood-affected Kukkad Pind. He inspected the paddy arriving in the mandi and listened to the grievances of farmers struggling to sell their produce. He alleged that the government has failed to provide adequate procurement facilities and ensure fair purchase of crops in mandis.

Expressing concern over the widespread crop damage and reduced yields across the state due to this year’s floods, Pargat pointed out that only about 30–32 per cent of the paddy had been harvested by October, while the remainder still stands unharvested. He alleged that in many regions, farmers were being compelled to sell their produce below the MSP.

Citing a media report, the former minister warned that farmers are staring at potential losses amounting to approximately Rs 10,000 crore due to a significant drop in paddy production. The Food and Civil Supplies Department has also reduced the state’s procurement target for the current season from 185 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) to 150 LMT. This decline — approximately 20 per cent — is the lowest crop yield since 2016, when only 140 lakh million tonnes were procured.

Pargat urged the government and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to ensure that all farmers receive the notified MSP for their crops and the compensation for the damaged crops is released without delay. He said nearly 3.5 lakh to 4 lakh acres of paddy fields were submerged during the recent floods, with around 37 per cent of the total crop damaged. The losses are estimated to exceed Rs 7,500 crore. The worst-hit districts include Tarn Taran, Fazilka, Gurdaspur, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, and Ferozepur, while crop damage was also significant in Amritsar, Jalandhar and Mansa.

Pargat added that the average paddy yield in Punjab, typically above 30 quintals per acre, has dropped by 10 to 15 per cent due to floods and heavy rainfall. In most regions, yields have fallen to just 15 – 20 quintals per acre, reflecting a 50–55 per cent decline. In severely flood-affected areas, over 90 per cent of the standing crops have been destroyed, leading to per-acre losses of nearly Rs 30,000. Farmers are finding it difficult even to pay the rent for leased farmland.

He stated that after the floodwater subsided, several areas remained covered under 1–3 feet of silt, rendering large tracts of farmland unusable. Wheat sowing in these regions is at a serious risk until the soil recovers.

Highlighting another major concern, Pargat alleged that farmers are unable to access DAP fertiliser through official channels and are being forced to buy it at inflated prices, ranging from Rs 1,800 to Rs 2,000 per bag, from private dealers. Farmers are also being coerced into purchasing additional micro-nutrients along with the fertiliser. Punjab is currently facing an estimated shortage of 2,00,000 tonnes of DAP this season. He demanded that subsidised DAP fertiliser be made available to farmers without delay.