Punjab, once the food bowl of India, is inching toward an ecological disaster. The paddy-centric cropping pattern, incentivised for decades through MSP and assured procurement, has drained the state’s groundwater and degraded its soil. Without urgent corrective measures, large parts of Punjab could turn into desert within a decade. The solution lies in rational crop diversification—most notably, a strategic shift toward pulses and oilseeds.
This isn’t just about water anymore. It’s about survival.
As I argued in my earlier pieces—The Rice That Ate Punjab, When Water Is Costlier Than Rice, and MSP Hike for Paddy: A Double-Edged Sword—Punjab’s agricultural model is unsustainable. Water-guzzling paddy continues to dominate despite its staggering ecological cost. Now, India’s growing dependence on imported pulses and edible oils presents a compelling economic argument for change—Punjab can and must lead this transition.
According to The Indian Express (June 16, 2025), India imported 73 lakh tonnes of pulses worth ₹45,650 crore and 164 lakh tonnes of edible oils worth ₹1.73 lakh crore in 2024–25. This surge reflects not only rising domestic demand but also a vulnerable and climate-sensitive production base. The sharp dip in pulse output during the 2023–24 El Niño year underscores this vulnerability.
Punjab is uniquely placed to ease this burden. The state’s soil and climate are well-suited for crops like moong, chana, and soybean, which require far less water than paddy. Short-duration, drought-resistant varieties already exist. In fact, the introduction of early-maturing chana helped cool retail inflation in pulses to 3.8% by December 2024, a rare success in food price management.
Yet, despite the clear ecological and economic logic, farmers won’t switch unless the system changes.
Here’s what must be done:
Extend MSP and assured procurement to pulses and oilseeds. Without income security, diversification will remain an academic suggestion.
Ensure calibrated import duties to prevent international dumping from undercutting local prices, a mistake made in past cycles of inflation control.
Expand procurement operations beyond tokenism—while the Centre approved record procurement targets (50 lakh tonnes of pulses, 60 lakh tonnes of oilseeds for 2024–25), actual purchases have lagged woefully behind.
Promote efficient irrigation—drip and sprinkler systems must be subsidized and scaled across districts most dependent on tubewells.
Support transition costs through direct benefit transfers, crop insurance, and guaranteed market linkages.
This isn’t just a policy fix—it’s a national imperative. Reduced water usage can slow Punjab’s ecological collapse. Domestic production of pulses and oils can ease the fiscal burden and stabilize food prices. Above all, it gives Punjab’s farmers a future beyond the paddy trap.
The farmers are willing. The science is ready. The economics make sense. All that’s missing is the political will.
If the governments at the Centre and in Punjab act with foresight, pulses and oilseeds can not only feed the country—but also save its soil.