As Punjab faces an escalating groundwater crisis, the state government has announced an expansion of its maize promotion initiative for the kharif season. While this move is considered a step in the right direction, it falls short of the substantial changes necessary to reduce the state’s heavy reliance on paddy cultivation.
In 2025, the government initiated a pilot program aimed at encouraging farmers to transition from paddy to kharif maize, targeting 12,000 hectares. This goal has now been raised to approximately 20,000 hectares for the current season. Additionally, the agriculture department has set an overarching target to cultivate 1.25 lakh hectares of cotton, another viable alternative to paddy, which is an increase of roughly 6,000 hectares compared to the kharif season of 2025-26.
Although this increase reflects continuity in policy, experts contend that the scale remains insufficient for any significant transformation in a state where paddy continues to dominate agricultural practices.
Last year’s figures show that Punjab had nearly 32.48 lakh hectares planted with paddy. In this context, the 20,000 hectares designated for incentivized maize cultivation appears minimal.
The state is offering an incentive of Rs 17,500 per hectare to farmers who choose to diversify from paddy to maize. However, specialists argue that this financial support is relatively modest compared to the extensive economic assistance that paddy receives, such as free electricity and guaranteed procurement. Punjab allocates nearly Rs 8,000 crore annually for power subsidies, allowing farmers to operate tubewells for extended periods to irrigate paddy, a crop that typically requires 25 to 30 irrigation cycles.
In contrast, maize is considerably more water-efficient, needing only three to four irrigations and primarily relying on rainfall.
The 2026-27 budget for Punjab includes Rs 7,715 crore earmarked to sustain free power for agricultural tubewell operations. Despite this financial backing, maize farming in Punjab has stagnated over the years.
The area dedicated to maize cultivation has varied between approximately 95,000 hectares and 1.3 lakh hectares over the past two decades, dipping to nearly 80,000 hectares a few years ago.
The newly set target of 1.5 lakh hectares, while an increase, still constitutes only a small percentage of the entire cropped area. Experts warn that without diversification efforts that parallel the scale of the existing paddy economy, the effects will likely remain minimal.
This situation becomes even more pronounced when contrasted with other crops. For example, cotton was cultivated on about 2.5 lakh hectares in 2021, demonstrating that farmers are open to diversification when conditions are favorable. However, inconsistent returns, pest issues, and a lack of stable policies have hindered the sustained growth of alternative crops.
Maize presents both ecological and economic benefits, with Punjab’s productivity already 15-20 percent higher than the national average. The crop sees strong demand in sectors like poultry feed, starch, and processed foods. Nevertheless, over 90 percent of the maize consumed in Punjab is sourced from other states.
Experts emphasize that promoting diversification cannot hinge solely on financial incentives. A comprehensive approach is necessary, incorporating guaranteed procurement, price stability, and the development of infrastructure such as grain dryers and processing facilities.
Timing also poses a challenge, as farmers typically make sowing decisions well in advance. Experts suggest that diversification initiatives should be announced at least six months prior to planting to facilitate proper planning.
There is also a call for the state to reconsider its subsidy framework. Redirecting a portion of the power subsidies towards farmers who adopt alternative crops could significantly bolster diversification efforts.
A senior official from the Punjab agriculture department noted, “Punjab has nearly 11 lakh farming households; if each farmer growing paddy transitions even one acre to alternative crops, the state could potentially bring nearly 9-10 lakh acres into diversification, leading to noticeable improvements in groundwater conservation.” This could be achieved by reallocating the subsidies from paddy cultivation to support diversified areas.
Currently, the government’s expanded maize initiative indicates a willingness to act, but it does not represent a fundamental change, according to the official.
A scientist from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) commented, “With groundwater levels continuing to decline and input costs on the rise, the urgency for large-scale diversification has never been greater. The critical issue is not whether Punjab should move away from paddy, but whether it is prepared to do so at the necessary scale.”
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