Punjab's Wheat Season Disrupted by Erratic Weather Patterns
Patiala: The wheat season in Punjab has been significantly impacted by unseasonal rains, high-velocity winds, and erratic temperature swings. Despite these adverse conditions, grain arrivals at the start of procurement in mandis have shown a sharp increase compared to the previous year.
By Thursday evening, total grain arrivals reached 21,547 metric tonnes, with 12,329 MT already procured. In contrast, during the corresponding period last year, procurement stood at only 1,600 MT out of approximately 2,500 MT in total arrivals. The Punjab government has disbursed Rs 13 crore for the procured wheat yield, with an additional Rs 15 crore in the pipeline.
Weather Events Accelerate and Delay Harvest
In February, an early heatwave accelerated crop maturity, leading experts to predict a harvest two weeks ahead of schedule. However, March brought heavy rainfall and strong winds that lashed the state. While initial March showers were welcomed as a boon for grain filling, continued rain proved detrimental and disrupted harvesting timelines, according to agriculture experts.
Director of Agriculture, G S Brar, explained that the rainfall delayed the general harvesting schedule by about ten days. He noted, The rise in temperature in February, particularly in areas with comparatively limited irrigation, led to early crop maturity, and harvesting was expected to begin about 15 days earlier than last year. However, rainfall and strong winds in March proved harmful for the standing wheat crop.
Government Response and Crop Damage Assessment
The Punjab government ordered a special girdawari to assess crop losses. Initial estimates suggest that about 1.35 lakh acres of wheat sustained damage. Districts such as Fazilka, Muktsar, Bathinda, Moga, Mansa, Amritsar, and Ferozepur reported the most significant flattening of standing crops.
Chief Agriculture Officer Dara Singh stated that Patiala district witnessed no major damages to the wheat crop, although lodging was recorded. He mentioned that only 2% of the crop had been harvested so far, as rains delayed the process.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has deployed 500 agriculture department teams, along with revenue officials, to expedite relief for affected farmers.
Procurement Management and Quality Concerns
To manage the increased arrivals, the Punjab Mandi Board is operating all 1,896 of its owned market yards and has added 538 private sites as temporary mandis. This expansion aims to handle overflow and maintain spacing of produce amid wet conditions.
Officials have flagged quality concerns due to prolonged moisture exposure, including risks of shrivelled grains and lustre loss, which could disqualify wheat from procurement specifications. Farmers have been urged to ensure their produce meets prescribed moisture thresholds, with warnings that non-compliant grain may face procurement delays.
Regional Variations in Arrivals
Meanwhile, Fatehgarh Sahib District Marketing Officer Mandeep Singh reported low arrivals in the district. Approximately 500 MT of wheat yield has arrived so far. He added that the government has provided some relaxation in specifications to ease procurement of crops impacted by weather conditions over the last two months.
