Floods: 30% Per Acre Drop in Paddy Output

In the 2025 monsoon harvest season, early sown paddy crops have reported reduced yields, with farmers estimating an average loss of USD 181–215 per acre. Talwinder Singh from Jalandhar sowed PR-126, an early maturing, low water-use paddy variety with high yield, and Supreme 110, a newer variety that aims for high production in a shorter timeframe, on 8–9 Jun after the Panjab government advanced the transplanting window. He harvested only 22–23 quintals per acre, compared to 31–32 quintals per acre last season. His loss per acre is around USD 227, calculated at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of USD 27 per quintal for paddy. Talwinder said, 'Last year, I sold around 32 quintals per acre and earned USD 841 per acre. This year, with just 23 quintals, I will make only around USD 625. When you subtract the input cost, which is at least USD 227 per acre, the profit margins are only USD 395, out of which around USD 340 is rent for one acre per crop, and the profit margins are even less than USD 56.’ Talwinder has rented 60 acres. 'We followed the government’s schedule, but now we are paying the price. If there is no support, many of us will fall into a debt cycle again,' continued Talwinder. Another issue with paddy this year is high moisture and blackening of grains which have lowered the price. A team from the Union Ministry of Food and Public Distribution has drawn at least 100 samples from the freshly harvested paddy crop in 19 districts of Panjab  to assess its quality. The results will be crucial in determining whether the union government will approve a relaxation in the permissible limit of discoloured grain. Meanwhile, farmers allege that fertilizer dealers and agricultural societies are compelling them to purchase nano urea or nano Diammonium Phosphate bottles while buying subsidized fertilizer bags. These bottles, they claim, are often of no use and are not even recommended by Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) (earlier coverage).