Iconic Mustard Slowly Fades; Integrated Farming Has New Takers In Panjab

The iconic mustard fields of Panjab—showcased in a number of movies—are now slowly fading away. Low returns on the crop and issues related to Minimum Support Price (MSP) are pushing farmers away from cultivating the crop. Currently, Panjab's mustard production meets only 3% of its oil requirements, necessitating the import of 97% of its oil from abroad. While mustard oil prices are rising, the area dedicated to oilseed cultivation is shrinking. Between 1970–75, the area under oilseed crops—including soybean, toria, mustard, and sunflower—was approximately 500K hectares in Panjab. In 2024, the area under mustard cultivation was only 41K hectares. However, in Moga district, the area under mustard and oilseeds grew from around 957 hectares between 2022 to 2,048 hectares in 2025. Meanwhile, many farmers across Panjab are adopting integrated farming in lieu of the traditional paddy-wheat cultivation. By combining crops, livestock, poultry, piggery, fisheries, and plantations, farmers are reducing costs while ensuring year-round income. Gursimrat Singh from Ladha Munda village in Gurdaspur owns nearly 20 acres where he grows wheat, paddy, sugarcane, and potatoes. He has also developed a two-acre fish pond integrated with around 40 ducks and 50 poultry birds. Responding to this trend, Punjab Agriculture University vice-chancellor Dr. Satbir Singh Gosal says that these integrated farming techniques require no heavy farm machinery and can be done by anyone with simple training; therefore, they are gaining popularity. Similarly, Amandeep Kaur, a Business Administration graduate from Jodhpur village in Panjab’s Barnala district, is milking success through her dairy farm, which houses 35 cattle and produces around 200 liters of milk each day. A young entrepreneur at 27, Amandeep is the sole breadwinner for her family and has become an example for dairy farmers in the region. She began her business three years ago with just two cattle, which has grown to 35 cows and buffaloes at her farm. Appreciating her efforts, T Benith, Deputy Commissioner, Barnala, said, ‘She broke the gender stereotype and is also an example for the male dairy farmer, who can learn skills of managing animals from her’ (earlier coverage).