Punjab records high crop yield despite erratic rainfall

Chandigarh: Inspite of facing erratic rainfall last year, Punjab was able to see a record production of wheat and paddy crop in the state, a minister said on Thursday.

State Agriculture Minister Tota Singh said that Punjab produced 176.20 lakh tonnes of wheat in the 2013-14 rabi crop season despite unseasonal rainfall. This was the second highest record yield in the state till now.

In the kharif season of 2014, Punjab witnessed 65 percent rain deficit, but produced 169 lakh tonnes paddy. The total land under paddy cultivation was 28.20 lakh hectares, the minister said.

"Despite facing deficient or excess rain in previous season, Punjab has witnessed record yield in crops of wheat and expects same in the coming season," he said, while urging farmers for maximum utilization of micro-irrigation (drip and sprinkler) methods.

Farmers were being given a subsidy for installing the micro-irrigation systems in their fields, he added.