Weak monsoon another test for Punjab, Haryana farmers

CHANDIGARH: Uncertain weather, including erratic and weak monsoon, has been the bane of farmers of the country's grain bowl states Punjab and Haryana. With the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicting below normal rain this monsoon also, especially north west region where both states are situated, farmers in Punjab and Haryana will have to brace up for another test after untimely rain and hailstorm damaged their wheat crop over a considerable area.

Data from the Chandigarh centre of IMD shows that in the 10-year period from 2005 to 2014, monsoon rainfall (June 1-September 30 period) was deficient (between 20% and 60% below the normal) in Haryana six times and four times in Punjab.

In 2014, monsoon rainfall in Haryana was 56% deficient at 200.1mm as against the normal of 460.3mm. Even in Punjab, the situation was grim as the state recorded 50% deficient monsoon rains at 243.5mm in comparison to the normal of 491.5mm.

Deficient monsoon not only impacted the sowing of key kharif crops in both the states, it also put extra burden on farmers who had to rely on tubewells to maintain their crops, putting further strain on the depleting groundwater. It also added up to the cost of cultivation as farmers had to use diesel-run pumpsets to draw subsurface water due to shortage of electricity.

While the farmers were barely able to survive the deficient monsoon in 2014 and hoped to recover their losses with a good rabi season, untimely rainfall in March and April this year piled more misery on them. At least 12 farmers died or committed suicide unable to bear the damage to their crops in Haryana due to inclement weather. In Punjab, four cases of farmer deaths on the same account have been reported.

While the Haryana and Punjab governments have sought financial assistance from the Centre to compensate the farmers for their crop loss, forecast of poor monsoon rainfall doesn't augur well for the grain bowl as both states take stock of the losses and prepare for the kharif season.

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