Recent heavy rainfall in Punjab has brought mixed results for farmers. While paddy growers are happy, maize farmers are facing big losses.
“Rain is a blessing for paddy,” said Gurmeet Singh, a farmer from Ludhiana district. Since paddy needs standing water to grow, the rain is helping the crop and also reducing the need to use electricity for tubewells.
However, maize farmers are struggling. Their crop, which is ready to harvest, is getting damaged due to too much rain. Maize is very sensitive to moisture at this stage, and wet grains lose their value in the market.
Baldev Singh, a farmer from Kaunke Kalan village, said, “We had harvested our maize, but it got wet and we can’t dry it because it rains almost daily.” He added that the market price of maize has dropped sharply from ₹2,200 to just ₹1,200–1,300 per quintal.
Another farmer who had grown both paddy and maize said, “I don’t know whether to be happy or sad. The rain is good for paddy but very bad for maize right now.”
Experts from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) said the rainfall is excellent for paddy. It provides the needed standing water, helps soil health, and also recharges groundwater. Overall, they said, it’s good for both agriculture and the environment.
The India Meteorological Department has predicted more moderate to heavy rain in the coming weeks. Farmers have been advised to protect harvested crops and avoid keeping them in open fields to reduce damage.
Be the first to comment