Haryana has been able to register quantum leap in paddy production, despite the delayed monsoon in northern parts of India this year, that impacted the area under paddy cultivation. The paddy in Haryana was sown in an area of around 1.15 million hectares, while last year paddy was sown in over 1.21 million hectares.
According to Haryana Food and Supplies Minister Mahender Pratap Singh, the state had recorded an arrival of over 4.55 million tonnes paddy till date, which was an all-time high since the inception of the state in 1966. Earlier, the highest arrival of 4.51 million tonnes of paddy was recorded in the year 2005.
Scientist at Rice Research Station, Kaul Rattan Singh maintained despite the not-so-favourable weather conditions, Haryana had been able to register record paddy cultivation owing to multiple reasons. The delayed and deficient monsoon although resulted in the acreage under paddy cultivation decreasing, yet with irrigation facility available across most parts of the state, it helped farmers weather the rainfall shortage.
The government official maintained adequate power for running the tube wells and quality agricultural inputs in sufficient quantity was supplied to the farmers on time.
The agriculture scientists also added with drought like conditions in the state, unwanted growths in the farms were checked, that helped increase productivity. Also the drought-like conditions helped put a check on attack by insects and pests, thereby making plants less susceptible to pest attack and resulting in maximum yield. Last year the plant-hopper pest had destroyed paddy in some parts of the state, thereby impacting the production.
Also the scientists added the increased sunlight amplified the photosynthetic activity, thereby helping improve production.According to government officials, Kurukshetra district maintained its lead in paddy arrival, where over 9.40 lakh metric tonnes of the crop had arrived in the mandis, followed by Karnal, where over 7.51 lakh metric tonnes of paddy had arrived in the mandis.
