Farmers face ₹10,000cr loss as paddy yield drops drastically
Punjab's farmers are dealing with a huge ₹10,000 crore loss this season after floods and a crop disease hit their paddy fields hard.
The state's rice procurement target has dropped to its lowest since 2016, making things even tougher for those who rely on farming.
Farmers worry about paying back loans
Some, like Baldev Singh from Tarn Taran, lost all 20 acres of their crop.
Many others saw big drops in yield—up to 10 quintals less per acre—while also facing damaged fields filled with silt and craters.
With high land lease costs (₹70,000 per acre), many now worry about paying back their loans.
Impact on national food supplies may be limited this year
Punjab grows a big chunk of India's rice reserves.
With less paddy harvested this year, there are concerns about national food security due to Punjab's key role, but experts believe the impact on national food supplies may be limited this year because of existing central reserves.
To make matters worse, some farmers are being forced to sell damaged crops below minimum prices while they wait for government decisions on buying standards.