Delay in paddy planting in Punjab won’t affect acreage.

Punjab government’s decision to delay the start of paddy transplantation across the State by five days this year will not affect the acreage under the crop as compared to last year. We don’t see the decision of delaying the start of paddy transplantation hitting its acreage. We are expecting farmers to sow paddy basmati and non-basmati rice varieties over 28.5 lakh hectares this season. Last year, the area under paddy was 30.4 lakh hectares,” said Jasbir Singh Bains, director, Punjab Agriculture Department. The State government issued the order on Tuesday asking farmers to start paddy transplantation from June 20 instead of June 15 last year. The decision has been taken in order to preserve water and check the fast depleting groundwater table in the State.