Lower water usage, international demand and an opportunity to grow a third crop: This is why Punjab farmers are going for basmati this year

Time of India

17-06-2025

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Amritsar: Lower water usage, international demand and an opportunity to grow a third crop between seasons are spurring farmers in Punjab's Majha region to cultivate basmati despite only marginal differences in earnings compared to traditional paddy.
Last year, basmati fetched an average price of over Rs 3,300 per quintal in the private market, ranging between Rs 2,531 and Rs 3,550. Paddy was sold at around Rs 2,400 per quintal under the minimum support price (MSP) regime. Although paddy offers slightly higher yields, basmati's added advantages are fuelling the shift.
"Unlike paddy, basmati requires significantly less water, which aligns with the govt advisory of promoting sustainable farming amid growing water scarcity.
Early-maturing basmati varieties like PUSA 1509 also allow farmers to grow a third crop—typically vegetables such as potatoes or peas—between the wheat and rice cycles, adding to their income," explained Tejinder Singh, chief executive officer of Amar Singh Chawla Wala, makers of the popular Lal Qila basmati brand, said.
Basmati grown in the districts of Amritsar and Gurdaspur, and parts of Tarn Taran commands higher demand compared to other areas, further incentivising farmers.
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Last year, out of the total 1.8 lakh hectares under paddy cultivation, 1.5 lakh hectares were under premium basmati varieties, while 30,000 hectares were used for traditional paddy.
This year, the agriculture department aims to bring at least 10,000 additional hectares under basmati cultivation. "We're seeing unprecedented interest in basmati, especially in the high-yielding, disease-resistant PUSA 1692 variety, which delivers 22 to 24 quintals per hectare," said Dr Baljinder Singh Bhullar, chief agriculture officer.
Dr Raman Kumar, subject matter specialist (plant protection), added that PUSA 1509 is a preferred short-duration variety, giving farmers sufficient time to plant another vegetable crop. "Farmers are increasingly opting for PUSA 1121, 1509, 1692, and similar basmati variants," he said.
Farmers are also optimistic about prices this season, partly due to geopolitical developments especially Israel-Iran war. "Earlier, our basmati shipments were often returned due to pesticide residues, but with the ban on use of pesticides, Punjab's basmati is high in demand abroad. This year we expect it will fetch a handsome price due to demand from West Asian countries," said Ravinder Singh, a farmer from Amritsar.