Punjab expects bumper paddy crop due to heavy rains

By IANS,

Chandigarh : The Punjab government is expecting a bumper paddy crop this season, owing to intermittent and heavy rainfall these days in various parts of the state.

"The rainfall may bring 10 percent increase in the paddy production this year," Punjab agriculture minister Sucha Singh Langah said in a statement Friday.

"Heavy rainfall in Patiala, Balachaur, Roop Nagar and Jalandhar is proving very beneficial to paddy transplantation which is the major kharif crop," he said.

"Farmers are utilising this opportunity to reduce the initial production cost. Though we have also made arrangements in advance to provide eight-hour continuous power supply to tube wells, early rains have supplemented our efforts," he added.

Langah said that on one hand rain would bring reduction in power consumption and on the other it would help in re-charging ground water.

Punjab is one of the major contributors of rice in the national pool and last year it had contributed over 50 lakh tonnes.

Met officials here have predicted more rains in the coming days.

"We are expecting more showers in the coming days. It is very good for the paddy crop," an official said.