Heavy monsoon rains have left kinnow growers in Punjab concerned, with waterlogging threatening orchards in Fazilka district, one of the State's main citrus regions. Farmers are calling for government support as kinnow is central to the local agricultural economy.
Growers and experts report the groundwater table has risen from 9–10 feet to as little as 3 feet in some areas. Many orchards are submerged, exposing kinnow trees to conditions they cannot tolerate.
"I have never witnessed such severe waterlogging. My orchard is around 17 years old, and most trees have started drying. Since August, it has been raining heavily, and the trees have been standing in two to three feet of water for weeks now. I can't do anything except helplessly watch my trees die," said Kewal Krishan of Panjawala village in Abohar, who owns a 30-acre orchard.
Sandeep Singh, who has an eight-acre orchard, said: "The incessant rains this year have led to a significant rise in groundwater levels, which is posing a severe threat to kinnow trees. The loss is beyond this year's crop. Rains have relented a bit now, but fruit-dropping has already started, and the tree roots are decaying."
In Diwan Khera village, horticulturist Balram said his four-year-old orchard was also wilting. "If there were proper drains in my village and others, they would have helped drain the excess water. The government needs to set up an effective drainage system to deal with such a situation in the future."
Sanjay Kumar, sarpanch of Sabuana, added that drains in Fazilka villages require better upkeep. "In August, amid heavy rains, a breach occurred on the Sabuana drain, which destroyed the standing crop of cotton and paddy in my village and nearby villages."
Punjab has about 48,000 hectares under kinnow, mainly in Fazilka, Hoshiarpur, Muktsar, and Bathinda. Harvesting runs from December to February. Experts note that waterlogged soils cause root injury and decay in citrus orchards.
H.S. Rattanpal, Head, Department of Fruit Science, said: "Waterlogging is a serious problem for kinnow. This year, there have been heavy rains, and the groundwater level has risen. If the groundwater table is around three to four feet, it is not good for kinnow. The level needs to be at around 10 feet or below."
Punjab's Deputy Director of Horticulture Harmel Singh reported that in some blocks of Abohar, 1,290 acres of kinnow orchards were waterlogged. "There have been instances of fruit-dropping as well. Once the water completely clears, then the exact loss would be determined," he said.
Source: The Hindu