Floods devastate paddy crop in Pulwama, farmers suffer heavy Losses
Nearly 50% of paddy fields submerged, growers seek government intervention under NFSA
Pulwama: Pulwama, often referred to as the “Rice Bowl of Kashmir” due to its extensive paddy cultivation, has been severely hit by the recent devastating floods, locals said Wednesday.
According to official figures, around 16,500 hectares of land in the district are under paddy cultivation, but nearly 50% of the crop has been destroyed this year.
The worst-hit areas include Kakapora, Pampore, Awantipora and Litter where a majority of the population is directly dependent on paddy farming for livelihood.
Farmers say the floods have not only washed away paddy but also caused extensive damage to other crops, leaving their year-long toil in ruins.
“We cannot even bear to look at our fields anymore. The sight of destroyed paddy brings tears to our eyes. Most of our village depends on these crops for survival, and now we are left with nothing,” said Tariq Ahmad, a distressed farmer from Kakapora.
Farmers are urging both the Union and UT governments to extend and increase support under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) so that they can feed their families during this crisis.
Agricultural experts warn that Pulwama, being among the top four rice-producing districts of Jammu and Kashmir, will see a significant drop in yield this year, which could also impact the region’s overall food security.
Chief Agriculture Officer Pulwama, Waheed-ur-Rehman, said that our teams from the agriculture and revenue departments are assessing the losses.
“Preliminary reports suggest that around 50% of the paddy crop has been damaged, and the figures may rise. Nearly 8,000 families dependent on paddy cultivation have been affected,” he said.
He added that the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (Crop Insurance Scheme) has come as a relief to some farmers. In Pulwama, 5,907 farmers have enrolled under the scheme, covering around 1,194 hectares of paddy fields.
