India’s paddy farmers are facing a crisis this monsoon season with unprecedented flooding and waterlogging impacting major rice-producing states. As of the end of August 2025, urgent assessments and relief work are underway, but the damage to this year’s Kharif crop is severe.
Punjab: 1.9 Lakh Acres Submerged
Heavy rainfall has battered Punjab, flooding at least 14 districts. More than 1.9 lakh acres (around 76,900 hectares) of farmland are waterlogged, especially in areas like Hoshiarpur’s Garhshankar and Fazilka. Over 1,000 villages have been affected, with standing paddy and sugarcane crops completely submerged. The state government has ordered a special survey (girdawari) to quantify loss and speed up compensation for affected farmers. Continued river overflow and breached embankments mean that recovery may be slow.
Haryana: Record Rains and Widespread Loss
Haryana’s Jind district has seen a 37% spike in seasonal rainfall compared to three years ago, causing flood-like conditions in Jind, Hisar, Bhiwani, and Rohtak. Dozens of villages are under water, with paddy fields especially hard hit. Some farmers have replanted or even abandoned affected fields, and demands for relief and permanent water management solutions are rising.
Bihar: Compensation Scheme for Paddy Loss
The Bihar government has activated a compensation scheme for flood-hit paddy farmers in 14 districts. Affected cultivators can apply online for grants up to ₹22,500 per hectare to offset August’s record crop losses. Farmers are being urged to complete applications quickly for direct relief.
Jammu & Kashmir: Paddy Flattened, Flood Fears
Heavy and sustained rain has flattened paddy fields throughout parts of Kashmir and caused urban and rural flooding across the Jammu region. Many fields are unharvestable, and the full scale of loss will be known at harvest.
Rajasthan and Other States
Farmers in Rajasthan have reported crop loss estimates of 75-90% in several rain-affected areas, appealing directly to the Chief Minister for compensation and long-term support. Reports of major losses continue to emerge from Gujarat, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and other key rice-producing regions as well.
Disease Outbreak Worsens Situation
Beyond floods and waterlogging, new viral outbreaks, specifically Southern Rice Black Streak Dwarf Virus have worsened paddy conditions in Haryana and Punjab. Scientists confirm that the scale of disease this year is unprecedented for many villages and beyond farmers’ routine control.
The Road Ahead
With lakhs of hectares still under water and crop diseases spreading, the coming harvest will reveal the true scale of this year’s crisis. Relief and compensation are being processed in most states, but long-term adaptation—including drainage improvements, climate-resilient practices, and reliable farm insurance—remains urgent.
Stay tuned for further updates as state-level assessments and recovery work continues.
Sources:
- Times of India, Hindustan Times, New Indian Express, CMV360 (August 2025 News Reports)