LUDHIANA, July 13 — While the recent spell of abundant rainfall has brought welcome relief for paddy farmers across Punjab, it has left maize growers staring at significant losses, as the crop nears its harvesting stage.
“Paddy needs standing water and rain is a blessing,” said Gurmeet Singh, a farmer from a village in Ludhiana district. “We’re also saving electricity as we don’t have to rely on tubewells to draw groundwater.”
However, for farmers cultivating maize — a crop highly sensitive to moisture during harvest — the situation is grim. Continuous rains have soaked harvested maize, drastically reducing its market value due to excessive moisture content.
“We had harvested our maize, but it got wet and we can’t dry it because it rains almost daily,” said Baldev Singh from Kaunke Kalan village. “The price has fallen from ₹2,200 to ₹1,200–1,300 per quintal. We’re staring at serious losses.”
Another farmer, who had planted both crops, echoed the confusion shared by many in the region. “I will incur losses. I had grown both paddy and maize. Rain is good for paddy and fatal for maize at this juncture. I don’t know whether to be happy or sad in the present situation,” he said.
Experts at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) have confirmed that the rainfall has been highly beneficial for paddy. “The showers are ensuring the much-needed standing water, which is critical for rice at this stage,” said a PAU scientist.
They also noted that the rain is helping improve soil health and aiding groundwater recharge — contributing positively to long-term agricultural sustainability.
But as the India Meteorological Department forecasts moderate to heavy rainfall in the weeks ahead, agricultural scientists are urging farmers to act swiftly. “Farmers should avoid storing harvested crops in open fields and take precautionary measures to protect their yield,” the department said in its advisory.
The monsoon, it seems, has turned into a double-edged sword — fortifying one crop, while devastating another.
