While Centre has capped paddy (non-basmati) procurement quantity from Punjab at 170 lakh tonnes on MSP rates, the state is pushing for a revised estimate of 190 lakh tonnes. Experts, however, claim that even this figure will not serve the purpose. They want the state to work out an estimate based on sown varieties and not loosely on the basis of few prevalent varieties.  

Around 32 per cent area of paddy in Punjab is under long duration varieties which give nearly 85 to 100 mann (34 to 40 quintals) yield per acre.  Around 68 per cent area is under seven short duration varieties — PR-121, PR-126, PR-114, PR-112, PR -124 and PR-129, PR-127 — which take 123 days to 143 days including the nursery period.  

According to the Punjab Agriculture Department, 26.05 lakh hectares (LH) is under paddy this year and by this calculation Punjab has around 8.34 LH under long duration and 17.72 LH under short duration.  If the average yield of PAU’s surveys is considered, then average yield of long varieties and short varieties should be around 67.52 lakh tonnes and 132.85 lakh tonnes, respectively, and the total of which comes out to be 200.38 lakh tonnes which is around 10 lakh tonnes above the government’s revised target (190 lakh tonnes). 

Vice Chairman, Punjab Mandi Board (PMB), Vijay Kalra, said that their capping will create unrest among farmers. Every variety, he added, has its own potential yield and capping per acre yield will create lot of confusion.