Preparations for Kharif crop cultivation begin in border districts of Punjab and Rajasthan
12-May-2025 11:01 AM
New Delhi. Farmers in the ten border districts of Punjab and Rajasthan—two key agricultural states sharing a border with Pakistan—have begun preparations for the Kharif crop season with full enthusiasm.
Following a formal ceasefire declaration between India and Pakistan, farmers are now carrying out their agricultural activities without concern for disruptions.
In the Kharif season, Punjab sees large-scale cultivation of both Basmati and non-Basmati paddy, while Rajasthan focuses on moong (green gram) and millet.
Several other crops are also sown in this period. Punjab remains one of the largest contributors of food grains to the central government’s pool.
These ten border districts collectively account for around 30 lakh hectares of Kharif crop area, producing approximately 43 lakh tonnes of food grains annually.
Farmers in the region remain confident despite previous tensions, placing their trust in the strength and preparedness of the Indian Army. The upcoming monsoon is also expected to be favorable, further boosting the morale of cultivators.
The districts where Kharif farming preparations are actively underway include Tarn Taran, Amritsar, Ferozepur, Pathankot, Gurdaspur, and Fazilka in Punjab; and Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bikaner, and Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan. Activity has also picked up in nearby districts like Anupgarh.
During the 2023–24 season, Kharif crops were cultivated in 8.77 lakh hectares in Punjab’s border districts, yielding 34.03 lakh tonnes of food grains.
In Rajasthan’s border districts, 8.84 lakh tonnes were produced from 20.83 lakh hectares. Paddy accounts for over 98 percent of the cultivated area in Punjab’s border regions, while Rajasthan continues to focus on moong and millet.
The Union Agriculture Ministry is closely monitoring the agricultural situation in all four border states—Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Jammu & Kashmir—and is actively working to ensure that all necessary inputs such as seeds and fertilizers are made available.
The government has also announced that water from the Indus and its tributaries, previously flowing into Pakistan, will now be redirected to states like Rajasthan, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Delhi. This move is expected to ease the water shortage in these areas.
The Ministry of Agriculture remains fully committed to supporting farmers in all these regions through every possible means.