digantsharma Punjab, often referred to as the breadbasket of India, is facing an unexpected crisis in 2025. This year’s wheat harvest has been severely impacted by unseasonal rains and high humidity during the harvest period, leading to widespread crop damage and losses for farmers across the state. Our field team visited villages in Ludhiana and Moga to capture real-time voices, visuals, and reactions from farmers caught in this weather-induced turmoil.
🎥 Watch Our Ground Report:
“Wheat Harvest Wrecked: Punjab’s Farmers Battle Nature’s Fury”
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The Unexpected Blow
Wheat crops were maturing well by early March. But by late March and early April, untimely rainfall accompanied by hailstorms hit several parts of Punjab. Fields ready for harvest became waterlogged, causing grains to blacken and sprout, drastically reducing their market value and usability.
Farmers like Baldev Singh from Samrala describe the situation with despair:
“We were hoping for a good harvest, but everything got soaked. Even the grain we stored in the fields has fungus now. The buyers are rejecting it.”
Damage Assessment and Farmer Woes
Preliminary estimates by the state agriculture department suggest that over 30% of the wheat crop has been affected in some districts. Apart from yield loss, farmers are worried about quality grading penalties at procurement centers, where lower quality wheat fetches significantly less.
Moreover, many small farmers rely on seasonal loans for inputs, and the crop loss means loan repayment uncertainty looms large.
Government Response So Far
The Punjab government has ordered a girdawari (crop damage survey) and announced compensation of ₹6,800 per acre for severely affected farmers. However, field reports show discrepancies between official claims and actual on-ground relief. Several farmers say officials have yet to survey their fields.
Additionally, central procurement agencies like FCI and PUNSUP are rejecting wet or discolored wheat, creating confusion over minimum support price (MSP) eligibility for damaged harvests.
Climate Change and the New Normal
Experts warn that weather unpredictability is becoming the norm, not the exception. “This is not just a freak season. We’re seeing shifting rain patterns due to climate change, and farming systems are not adapted yet,” says Dr. Amarjeet Gill, agrometeorologist at PAU, Ludhiana.
He adds that the future lies in climate-resilient crop varieties, better drainage systems, and timely weather advisories for farmers.
The Road Ahead
Farmers across Punjab are demanding quicker relief, flexibility in procurement norms, and investments in weather insurance and post-harvest management. Without systemic changes, more such crop disasters may become a recurring nightmare for India’s grain heartland.
