Scanty rain in Punjab may not affect cotton

Scanty rainfall in the monsoon in the north-western states, particularly Punjab and Haryana, is a cause for worry for farmers.

However, paddy is a drought-resistant crop and can revive even if the monsoon is late. Also, the cotton crop in Punjab may benefit from the deficient rainfall because high moisture content helps in the multiplication of pests and damages the crops.

The paddy output will also remain more or less constant as the farmers would resort to assured irrigation though the cost of productivity would increase.

According to the meteorology department, the region should have received 170.4 mm of rainfall but has actually received only 142.9 mm till the end of July. There is a shortfall of 16 per cent and only heavy showers in August can save the situation.

Contrary to the feeling that Punjab and Haryana have a vast irrigated area, the monsoon plays a significant role in the agricultural produce of the states.

The major crops of this season are paddy and cotton; and bajra, maize and jawar are also sown in isolated areas.

An area of over 6 million hectares is under the cultivation of kharif crops.

The badly-affected districts in Punjab are the following, with the shortfalls in brackets: Moga (76 per cent), Ludhiana (46 per cent), Sangrur (41 per cent), Nawanshahr (38 per cent), Bathinda (43 per cent), Patiala (20 per cent), Jalandhar (23 per cent), Hoshiarpur (66 per cent), Ferozepore (33 per cent) and Faridkot (19 per cent).

A poor monsoon means Punjab faces a drought-like situation, leading to a rise in the cost of paddy cultivation and also dealing a triple blow to the state: power is being purchased at exorbitant rates, the farmer's profitability is going down and the receding groundwater level is not getting replenished.

PAU Agrometeorologist Prabhjyot Kaur Sidhu said in Ludhiana, the normal rainfall for the months of June, July and August was 66.4 mm, 232.1 mm and 179.7 mm, respectively.

"But this year in June and July, the rainfall was 20.5 mm and 209.2 mm, respectively. Till date in August this year, we have received just 3.7 mm rainfall, which is much less than the normal. In the first and second weeks of August, rainfall was 1.2 mm and 2.5 mm, respectively. Though rainfall has seen an upward trend, its distribution has become very erratic."

"In the monsoon, every year we receive an average rainfall of 580 mm. In 2005, it was 595 mm, in 2004 304 mm, in 2003 580 mm, and in 2002 293 mm. Though 94 per cent of Punjab is under assured irrigation (not dependent on rain water and based on canal water or tubewells), still it will lead to a depletion of water resources and farmers' profit margins will also decrease. The cost of growing paddy will rise by Rs 2,500-3,000 per acre, as compared to last year.

Farmers in Haryana may be at the losing end due to less canal water being available. The state government has assumed a target of 30.25 lakh tonnes for paddy, 25,000 tonnes for jawar, 9.75 tonnes for bajra and 21 lakh bales of cotton for this year.

Meanwhile, the state agriculture department in Haryana has started giving information to farmers about judicious uses of water.