CPI(M)'s farmer wing AIKS calls advance estimates of kharif production 'bogus', cites floods in several states

New Delhi, Dec 3 (PTI) All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), the farmers' wing of the CPI(M), on Wednesday said the advance estimate of kharif production for 2025-26, based on yield trends from previous years, among other factors, is "bogus", as vast areas in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh have faced devastating floods.

In a statement issued here, AIKS said the advance estimates of kharif production for 2025-26, which have claimed a record production of rice at 124.5 million tonnes and maize at 28.3 million tonnes, are based on "yield trends from previous years, other ground-level inputs, regional observations, and predominantly data received from states.

It said the claims are "bogus in view of the fact that vast areas of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh faced devastating floods this year".

"It has been estimated that about 1.9 lakh hectares of land in Punjab have been affected by floods. In Haryana, farmers have reported crop losses on more than 12.5 lakh acres through the official e-Kshatipurti portal, created by the state government for reporting flood damage," said AIKS.

"In Himachal Pradesh, official assessments show that 24,552 hectares of land have suffered crop damage. In addition to this, there have also been reports of dwarf virus in paddy in both these states, leading to crop losses. Floods have also impacted crops in several other states, including Maharashtra, Telangana and Karnataka," it said.

It said apart from losses caused by floods, farmers faced severe shortages of urea and other fertilisers during the Kharif season.

"AIKS delegations that visited the flood-hit regions of Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra and other states have witnessed the near total loss of standing crop as they were submerged under water. In the last few years, because of persistent shortages in supplies of fertilisers, long queues of farmers at fertiliser shops and cooperative societies have become a regular sight. Several news reports provided evidence of fertiliser shortages during the Kharif 2025 season," it claimed.

It accused the Union government of "whitewashing" the scenario by claiming a record output of kharif production.

"Using past yields to project kharif is bound to provide a misleading picture if the latest season has seen widespread crop damage and losses. Such misleading data are then used to deny benefits of crop insurance and compensation," it said.

According to the first advance estimates of production of main Kharif crops released by Agriculture Minister Shiraj Singh Chouhan on November 26, a record growth in production of major kharif crops is expected, with total food grain production estimated to increase by 3.87 million tonnes to 173.33 million tonnes.

Rice production stood at 122.8 million tonnes during the kharif 2024-25 season. "A record growth is projected in the production of major kharif crops," the ministry said in a statement.

The minister said excessive rainfall in some areas of the country affected crops, but most areas have benefited significantly from a good monsoon, leading to overall good crop growth.

Kharif crops are sown from June to July at the onset of the monsoon and harvested in September-October. Rice is the main kharif crop, along with some pulses and oilseeds. PTI AO HVA