Waterlogging Woes: Arranging for paddy seedlings a Herculean task for Muktsar farmers

Muktsar, July 29

Farmers of the villages where rainwater has receded are now facing a tough time to arrange for basmati seedlings as the sowing season has ended.

20K hectares inundated

Farmers can transplant basmati seedlings for the next 10 days. The cotton crop on 6,500 hectares and paddy on 14,000 hectares have been damaged in Muktsar due to waterlogging. — Gurpreet Singh, Chief Agriculture officer

Aggrieved farmers said their crop got damaged due to waterlogging and finding basmati seedlings at this point of time has become a Herculean task.

Lambi MLA Gurmeet Singh Khudian said timely availability of paddy seedlings was the need of the hour. “We have even sought support from Rajya Sabha MP Balbir Singh Seechewal in this regard,” said Khudian.

Chief Agriculture Officer Gurpreet Singh said, “Farmers can transplant basmati seedlings for the next 10 days. However, the seedlings are hardly available now. If cotton crop is damaged, farmers can’t sow paddy because they have to keep in mind various factors like the type of soil and availability of water.”

He said the cotton crop on 6,500 hectares and the paddy/basmati crop on 14,000 hectares had been damaged in Muktsar due to waterlogging.

Farmers were also sharing contact numbers of nurseries in Doaba, so that those affected could arrange for paddy seedlings.