Punjab sees 12.58 pc growth in basmati cultivation area

Chandigarh, Aug 18 (PTI) The Punjab government’s crop diversification drive has helped the state increase basmati cultivation area by 12.58 per cent during this kharif season, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian said on Sunday.

The cultivation of long-grain rice has expanded to 6.71 lakh hectares currently, a significant increase from 5.96 lakh hectares during the previous kharif season, the minister said.

Giving district-wise statistics of basmati cultivation, Khudian said that Amritsar led the way with 1.46 lakh hectares dedicated to this aromatic rice.

Following Amritsar were Muktsar with 1.10 lakh hectares, Fazilka with 84.9 thousand hectares, Tarn Taran with 72.5 thousand hectares, and Sangrur with 49.8 thousand hectares, showcasing maximum basmati cultivation in these districts.

The state agriculture minister also highlighted a substantial 46.5 per cent growth in the area under Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR) compared to the previous year.

The area cultivated using the water-saving DSR method has increased to over 2.52 lakh acres from 1.72 lakh acres in the Kharif season of 2023, he said in a statement here.

The state has prohibited the use of 10 pesticides on basmati to enhance the export quality of the aromatic crop to a world-class standard, the minister said.