Target to buy 8.20 lakh MT paddy in Kapurthala

The Kapurthala administration has set a target to purchase 8.20 lakh metric tonnes of paddy across 42 mandis this year.

With the procurement of paddy starting in the mandis of the district, 60 metric tonnes of paddy has been purchased by government agencies until yesterday. While paddy crop has been destroyed across over 30,000 acres in Kapurthala, the administration said last year's yield was being treated as benchmark for this year's purchase target as well.

Amid widespread crop damage across Kapurthala this year, the total flood-affected area where crops have been damaged is 39,300 acres of which 33,264 acres in under paddy. While paddy crop is estimated to be damaged across all 22,000 acres in the worst-affected Sultanpur Lodhi, officials said in some areas of Nadala and Dhilwan blocks, some crop land has been recovered.

This year paddy had been sown across 1,17,000 hectares (2,89,113 acres) across Kapurthala, of which 33,264 acres under paddy has been damaged (totally or partially). Meanwhile, of the 13,450 acres of area under paddy in Nadala and Dhilwan, 5,660 acres was found in the category of 25 to 75 per cent crop damage, officials said.

There had also been a marginal increase in the area under paddy cultivation in Kapurthala where it was 1,16,600 hectares last year and increased to 1,17,000 hectares this year. Last year, the paddy yield target in Kapurthala was also approximately 8.20 lakh metric tonnes.

While sources said the total paddy production yield target this year was pegged at 8.54 lakh metric tonnes in Kapurthala, the target was set at 8.20 metric tonnes after factoring in damage from floods. However, officials said this may change depending on special girdawari which is currently going on.

Meanwhile, the moisture limit in the paddy at the time of procurement has been fixed at 17 per cent, while this year the price of the paddy crop has been fixed at Rs 2,389 per quintal.

In various block, the recovered crop land is also faced with various diseases.

Chief Agricultural Officer HPS Bharaut said, "Due to the increased moisture in the past and sudden increase in temperature in the last days, the paddy crop has been affected. However, crops have also been recovered in Nadala, Dhilwan as well as Phagwara. Paddy has been hit by discoloration and false smut in various areas. Of an average estimated yield of 29 quintals per acre, this may impact yield by two to three quintals an acre in some areas. Apart from this, our estimated yield target is pegged at 8.20 lakh MT in the district, procurement for which is on across mandis. It is a tentative figure. The actual yield estimates will depend on results of special girdawari which is currently going on. "

DC Amit Kumar Panchal said, "Last year's yield is a standard benchmark for setting targets. This is a variable figure as yield may be affected in some flood hit areas and also may be bettered in others due to good moisture."