According to a study conducted by Punjab Agricultural University, continuous rice-wheat monoculture has often been associated with concerns regarding soil degradation in Punjab. In a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Bhagirath Choudhary attributed the degradation to repeated puddling, intensive tillage, the lack of legumes or green manuring, and mono-cropping.
Puddling, tillage and soil physical health
Choudhary said puddling during rice transplanting disrupts soil aggregation, reduces porosity and increases sub-surface compaction, which adversely affect soil physical health without appropriate management practices. He added that these effects are largely reversible through a scientifically recommended package of practices, including inclusion of legumes, crop rotation, balanced fertilizer application, integrated nutrient management, addition of organic manure and residue incorporation.
Punjab's shifting cropping pattern under rice-wheat
The Minister shared data showing that rice area in Punjab increased from 29.69 lakh hectares in 2021-22 to 32.68 lakh hectares in 2025-26, while wheat area remained largely stable, moving from 35.25 lakh hectares to 34.58 lakh hectares over the period. The area under other field crops such as maize, pulses and oilseeds relative to the rice-wheat system declined from 8.6 per cent to 6.2 per cent, whereas the share of horticultural crops (fruits and vegetables) increased gradually from 6.3 per cent to 7.2 per cent. According to Choudhary, this indicates a marginal shift towards horticultural diversification while the rice-wheat system continues to predominate.
| Crop / Category | 2021-22 | 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Rice (Punjab) | 29.69 lakh ha | 32.68 lakh ha |
| Wheat (Punjab) | 35.25 lakh ha | 34.58 lakh ha |
| Other field crops (maize, pulses, oilseeds) share relative to rice-wheat system | 8.6% | 6.2% |
| Horticultural crops share | 6.3% | 7.2% |
Water-intensive crops and ICAR assessment
To a separate question on cultivation of water-intensive crops in areas facing recurring water scarcity and declining aquifer levels, Choudhary said rice, sugarcane, cotton and jute are among the major water-intensive crops grown in India and together occupy about 62.7 million hectares, representing nearly one-third of the country's gross cropped area. He noted that ICAR assessed the cultivation of major water-intensive crops in relation to rainfall and water availability. The assessment identified about 2.89 million hectares of rice cultivated in 68 districts receiving less than 650 mm annual rainfall, accounting for about 5.67 per cent of the total rice area (51 million hectares). About 0.721 million hectares of sugarcane are cultivated in 91 districts receiving less than 700 mm annual rainfall, representing about 10.76 per cent of the total sugarcane cultivated area (6.7 million hectares). Choudhary said these assessments provide the scientific basis for promoting location-specific crop diversification, particularly in water-scarce regions experiencing recurring water stress and declining groundwater levels, while balancing water security, farmer livelihoods and agricultural productivity.
FPO scheme: 10,000 farmer producer organisations
In a separate written reply in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Ramnath Thakur said the Government is implementing the Central sector scheme for the formation and promotion of 10,000 FPOs. Thakur stated that 10,000 FPOs have been formed under the scheme since 2020-21. FPOs undertake a wide range of business activities, including agri-input supply, aggregation and trading of agricultural produce, value addition and processing, seed production, digital commerce through e-market places, custom hiring services and export promotion.
Thakur said:
From the audited financial statements 2024-25 of the scheme, 6964 FPOs had a turnover of up to ₹50 lakh, 862 FPOs had a turnover of ₹50 lakh to ₹1 crore, and 1135 FPOs had a turnover of over ₹1 crore.
| FPO turnover (audited FY 2024-25) | Number of FPOs |
|---|---|
| Up to ₹50 lakh | 6,964 |
| ₹50 lakh – ₹1 crore | 862 |
| Over ₹1 crore | 1,135 |
More than 65 lakh shareholders, predominantly small and marginal farmers, have been collectivised under the scheme to leverage economies of scale. As on date, 6,928 FPOs have seed licenses, 4,987 have pesticide licenses, and 6,650 have fertilizer licenses. Thakur also said 5,765 FPOs have their own processing units and 3,083 FPOs have availed credit.
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