Punjab officially begins its paddy season today, marking a critical phase for the state’s agriculture but also raising environmental concerns. Despite repeated calls from experts to phase out paddy cultivation due to its heavy groundwater consumption, the crop continues to dominate Punjab’s farmlands.
This year, only around 1,400 farmers have adopted the government-promoted Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR) method, covering approximately 15,000 acres, while most still prefer traditional transplantation, including for basmati paddy. Last year, paddy was cultivated on over 32.4 lakh hectares, with 6.8 lakh hectares dedicated to basmati. This season, basmati cultivation is expected to rise to about 7 lakh hectares.
Traditionally, transplantation of the water-intensive paddy crop started on June 15 to reduce groundwater depletion by aligning with the monsoon. However, political pressures have led to an earlier start this year, with sowing now commencing on June 1.
Punjab continues to be one of India’s top states in groundwater extraction. Official data indicates that each tubewell draws about 30.24 lakh litres of water weekly, with power supply averaging eight hours daily.
Farmers report that expert labourers for paddy transplantation are yet to return in full, though most are expected back by mid-June when sowing activity peaks.
To optimize groundwater use, Punjab has been divided into three sowing zones this season. Faridkot, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Sri Muktsar Sahib, and Bathinda began sowing on June 1. Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Rupnagar, Mohali, Fatehgarh Sahib, and Hoshiarpur follow from June 5, while Ludhiana, Malerkotla, Mansa, Moga, Barnala, Patiala, Sangrur, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, and Nawanshahr will start on June 9.
Power and Fertilizer Challenges
To support irrigation needs, the Punjab government has assured farmers of free, uninterrupted eight-hour power supply. The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has prepared for the surge in demand, expected to exceed 17,000 MW during peak paddy irrigation, involving over 14 lakh tubewells.
A senior PSPCL official noted, “Power demand may spike after June 17, but rainfall during this period could ease the load. We are committed to ensuring eight hours of power for irrigation.”
Meanwhile, Punjab faces a shortage of diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer. The state requires around 2 lakh metric tonnes for the kharif season, covering paddy and maize, but has so far received only 47,000 MT—16,000 MT in April and 31,000 MT in May from the Centre.
As Punjab embarks on another paddy season, the state grapples with balancing agricultural productivity and sustainable resource management.
