SANGRUR: Sangrur, June 4, 2025: To promote crop diversification, conserve groundwater, and strengthen farmers economically, the Punjab government has launched a pilot project to encourage farmers to shift from paddy to maize cultivation. The project aims to cover 10, 000 hectares of land in six districts: Sangrur, Bathinda, Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Jalandhar, and Kapurthala. Farmers will be provided with an incentive of ₹17, 500 per hectare, and maize procurement will be ensured at ₹2, 400 per quintal.
The project is a result of the increasing demand for ethanol, which can be produced from maize. By promoting maize cultivation, the government aims to not only promote crop diversification but also conserve groundwater and increase farmers' income. Under the pilot project, the districts of Sangrur and Gurdaspur will cover 2, 000 hectares each, while Pathankot, Jalandhar, Bathinda, and Kapurthala will cover 1, 500 hectares each.
To achieve the target, the Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare will provide technical support and guidance to farmers. Trained "Kisan Mitras" (farmer friends) will be appointed in each village to assist farmers. Subsidy will also be provided on modern machinery for maize cultivation.
The Deputy Commissioner of Sangrur, Shri Sandeep Rishi, has urged farmers to take advantage of this opportunity and shift to maize cultivation. He assured that the government will provide all necessary support and guidance to farmers.
The Chief Agriculture Officer of Sangrur, Shri Dharminderjit Singh, has informed that maize cultivation can be done till the end of June and has urged farmers to prioritize maize cultivation over paddy. He assured that farmers will not face any difficulties in selling their maize crop.