Floods hit Punjab's paddy fields, but overall impact may be minimal
Punjab is looking at a slight drop in rice production this year after floods damaged around 2 lakh hectares of paddy fields.
The good news? Areas that escaped the floods are set for better yields, so the overall impact might not be huge.
Last year, Punjab produced 14.36 million tons of rice—pretty important since India is aiming for 46.35 million tons this kharif season.
Crop areas grew despite water worries
Most of the flood damage hit non-basmati paddy fields near rivers, while basmati crops were mostly spared.
Interestingly, despite water worries and pushes for crop variety, Punjab's total paddy area actually grew to 32.49 lakh hectares as of September 5, 2024—mainly because farmers still trust rice thanks to guaranteed government buying.
What about the rabi season?
Looking ahead, Punjab has asked the central government for support to get ready for the rabi (winter) season.
Meanwhile, India's grain warehouses are overflowing: there's about 48.23 million tons of rice in stock right now—well above what's needed for food security programs this year.