More than 12 percent increase in Basmati rice production area in Punjab

19-Aug-2024 10:39 AM

Chandigarh. Farmers showed great enthusiasm in the cultivation of Basmati rice during the current Kharif season in Punjab, a leading producer and exporter of Basmati rice, which increased its production area by 12.58 percent.

Due to the high wholesale market price of Basmati rice in the marketing season of 2023-24, the producers got attractive income, which increased their interest in its cultivation.

The Agriculture Minister of Punjab says that the vigorous efforts being made by the state government towards crop diversification have also helped in increasing the area of ​​​​Basmati rice.

According to official figures, the area of ​​​​Basmati paddy in Punjab was 5.96 lakh hectares last year, which has increased to 6.71 lakh hectares in the current rainy season. Farmers are very excited this time due to getting high prices.

Amritsar district is at the forefront of Basmati paddy cultivation in Punjab, where its production area has increased to 1.46 lakh hectares.

After this, the area of ​​Basmati paddy was recorded at 1.10 lakh hectare in Muktsar district, 84,900 hectare in Fazilka, 72,500 hectare in Tarn Taran and 49,800 hectare in Sangrur.

According to the Agriculture Minister, during the current Kharif season, compared to last year, there was a tremendous increase of 46.5 percent in the area of ​​paddy cultivation through Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR) method in the state, which is saving water.

The area of ​​paddy sowing through this DSR method was 1.72 lakh hectare last year, which increased to more than 2.52 lakh hectare during the current year. For sowing paddy through this method, there is no need for water logging in the fields.

The Punjab Government has banned the use of 10 insecticides for spraying on Basmati paddy crop so that the production of aromatic Basmati rice of export quality can be ensured as per the world class standard.