Pre-monsoon showers bring relief to Punjab, ease stress on groundwater for paddy sowing

“This rain couldn’t have come at a better time. The soil moisture will help with right stage of paddy transplantation and reduce reliance on tubewell irrigation, especially in central and southern Punjab,” said an agriculture officer.

Districts like Barnala (71.3 mm), Ludhiana (65.1 mm), Rupnagar (59.9 mm), Moga (42.5 mm), Faridkot (36.6 mm), Patiala (35.1 mm), and SBS Nagar (38.2 mm), reported high rainfall between June 1 to June 17th. However, some areas including Tarn Taran (0.1 mm), Amritsar (0.4 mm), Kapurthala (4.9 mm), Jalandhar (7.9 mm) and Gurdaspur (8.3 mm) received little rain, and require high irrigation support.

Officials said this pre-monsoon rain is a positive sign amid Punjab’s groundwater crisis.

With over 70% of the state’s irrigation dependent on underground water, especially for water-intensive crops like paddy, timely rain can make a significant difference in reducing power consumption for pumping and saving fast-depleting aquifers.

The agriculture department has also advised farmers to make the most of the natural moisture and plan their puddling and transplantation accordingly.

In Punjab, over 30 lakh hectares would come under the paddy crop and the sowing for the same was allowed from
June 1 this year against after June 10 which was the normal practice in Punjab since 2009 when the Punjab Sub soil Act was passed in the state to check the early sowing of paddy in the state.

While Punjab’s majority districts received a timely and widespread spell of pre-monsoon showers that offered critical relief, the neighboring state Haryana and joint capital Chandigarh which have experienced significantly lower rainfall.

This disparity in precipitation has raised concerns for farmers in Haryana , another paddy growing state, which now face increased pressure on groundwater resources due to insufficient soil moisture ahead of the main sowing period.

In Haryana out of 22 districts 17 districts have received very less pre-monsoon rainfall.

According to data from the meteorological department, Chandigarh recorded only 18.4 mm of rainfall compared to a normal of 58.4 mm, marking a 69% deficit.

Similarly, Haryana as a whole saw a 31% shortfall in pre-monsoon rain, with some districts recording alarmingly low figures.

For instance, Karnal received just 1.2 mm of rainfall against a normal of 31.8 mm—a staggering 96% deficit. Other major agricultural regions such as Fatehabad (-82%), Kaithal and Panchkula (-79%), Ambala (-71%), Faridabad (-70%), Panipat (-86%), Palwal & Kurukshetra (-75%) and also reported severe shortages.

Although a few districts like Nuh (30 mm, +146%) received above normal pre-monsoon rainfall, Mahendergarh (43.2 mm, +111%) and Hisar (37.6 mm, +107%), these were exceptions rather than the norm. The majority of Haryana’s districts have remained dry, resulting in inadequate natural soil moisture.

Meanwhile, the current rain deficit in several districts of Punjab and Haryana could pose significant challenges for farmers because at the time of sowing of Paddy nursery a lot of water is required for puddling and then a stagnant water upto 2-3 inches is maintained for several initial weeks in the crop and it consumes a huge water. “This rain was the most awaited with paddy being a water-intensive crop, the lack of early-season rain means that farmers may have to rely heavily on groundwater for irrigation—further straining already stressed aquifers,” said Director Punjab Agriculture Department Jaswant Singh, adding that many such rain showers are required currently when paddy sowing is on.

According to IMD, as compared to yesterday today, there is a fall of -3.9°C in average maximum temperature in Punjab, however, it is markedly below normal by -6°C in the state.

The highest maximum temperature in the state is 34.6°C Recorded at Faridkot as far as Haryana is concerned, today there is a fall of -1.8°C in average maximum temperature, however, it is markedly below normal by -7.4°C in the state.

The highest maximum temperature in the state is 36.1°C recorded at Faridabad. In Punjab gusty winds at a speed of 30 to 40 km/h are predicted at isolated places from 18th to 20th of June while heavy rainfall with gusty winds are predicted at isolated places from June 21-22.

Similarly, Ingush winds are predicted from June 18 to June 22, with heavy rainfall at isolated places from June 20 to June 22.