CHANDIGARH, Dec 29 — The Punjab government on Saturday said 2025 marked a turning point for the state’s agricultural sector, citing higher farmer remuneration, expansion of crop diversification and progress toward sustainable farming practices under the AAP-led government.
Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian said a series of policy measures taken during the year strengthened farm incomes while addressing long-standing environmental concerns. “Our focus has been on empowering farmers while protecting natural resources,” Khudian said.
In a major decision, the state fixed the highest State Agreed Price for sugarcane in the country at ₹416 per quintal, an increase of ₹15 over the previous year. The move ensures Punjab’s sugarcane growers receive the highest price nationally, the minister said.
Punjab also recorded a sharp decline in stubble burning incidents during the Kharif season, with cases dropping by 53% to 5,114 this year from 10,909 in 2024. Officials attributed the decline to the availability of crop residue management machinery, with more than 1.58 lakh subsidised machines provided to farmers since 2018 and over 16,000 sanction letters issued in 2025 alone.
Crop diversification efforts gathered pace during the year, with the area under cotton increasing by 20% to 1.19 lakh hectares. The expansion was supported by a 33% subsidy on Punjab Agricultural University-recommended BT cotton seeds, availed by more than 52,000 farmers through online registration.
The government’s push for Direct Seeding of Rice, aimed at conserving groundwater, also saw wider adoption. The area under DSR rose by 17% to 2.96 lakh acres from 2.53 lakh acres last year, with farmers receiving an incentive of ₹1,500 per acre.
Basmati cultivation registered a marginal rise as well, with acreage increasing to 6.90 lakh hectares from 6.81 lakh hectares, reflecting continued demand in domestic and export markets.
In an effort to reduce dependence on paddy, the government launched a pilot maize diversification project in six districts — Bathinda, Sangrur, Gurdaspur, Jalandhar, Kapurthala and Pathankot. Officials said more than 11,000 acres were shifted from paddy to Kharif maize, supported by an incentive of ₹17,500 per hectare and additional input assistance under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana.
“Our schemes on cotton, DSR and crop diversification have shown measurable results,” Khudian said. “As we move into 2026, the government will continue to focus on innovation and environmentally sustainable farming.”
