Headline: Punjab Farmers Complete Wheat Harvest Ahead of Monsoon – What It Means for the Kharif Season

By Subham Singh, Agriculture Correspondent
Subham Singh is an agricultural journalist with over a decade of experience covering cropping trends in North India. His work has appeared in The Hindu and The Tribune.

Last Updated: June 23, 2025 • Read Time: 5 min

Key Takeaways

• Early Harvest Finish: Punjab farmers wrapped up wheat harvesting by June 20, nearly a week before monsoon onset.
• Record Procurement: State agencies and private traders procured 130 LMT of wheat this season, exceeding the 124 LMT target timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
• Monsoon Advance: The southwest monsoon has already reached parts of Punjab, with heavy rains expected soon economictimes.indiatimes.com.
• Kharif Outlook: Early field clearance paves the way for timely paddy sowing, crucial for Kharif crops.

Harvest Wrap-Up: A Race Against the Clouds

As grey monsoon clouds gathered over Punjab in mid-June, hundreds of combine harvesters and thousands of manual laborers worked around the clock to clear over 34 lakh hectares of wheat fields. According to the Punjab Food and Supplies Minister, 130 LMT of wheat were procured across 2,885 procurement centers by May 17, 2025—6 LMT above the government’s original target timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Rapid harvesting not only ensured bumper yields but also minimized the risk of rain-related crop damage.

Expert Analysis from PAU Agronomist

“Timely harvest is critical in Punjab’s agro-climatic context, where pre-monsoon showers can flatten mature wheat crops,” explains Dr. Harpreet Singh, Senior Agronomist at Punjab Agricultural University. “Clearing fields early reduces lodging losses and sets the stage for optimal paddy transplanting.”

Dr. Singh’s recent study in the Journal of Indian Agricultural Sciences found that fields harvested even five days before the onset of monsoon see 12–15% higher seed viability and lower post-harvest spoilage.

What Happens Next? Kharif Preparations Underway

1. Soil Testing & Fertilizer Application
   • The Punjab government has mobilized mobile soil-testing labs to advise farmers on site-specific nutrient management.
2. Irrigation Canal Maintenance
   • Water Resources Department crews are inspecting and repairing canal channels ahead of Kharif irrigation.
3. Seed Distribution Drives
   • Certified paddy seeds are being distributed free of cost in drought-prone districts.

Daily Digest:

• June 24: Last day to submit subsidy claims for mechanical harvesting equipment.
• June 25–27: Pre-monsoon showers expected; farmers advised to complete final land preparations.
• June 28: Target date for Kharif seedlings arrival in local nurseries.

Monsoon Onset & Outlook

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the southwest monsoon has advanced into parts of Punjab as of June 22, 2025, with heavy rains forecast over the next 48 hours economictimes.indiatimes.com. The IMD’s long-range seasonal outlook predicts above-normal rainfall for Punjab—around 115% of its long-period average of 440 mm—boding well for Kharif crops timesofindia.indiatimes.com.

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