Unprecedented monsoon rains have left Punjab's kinnow growers anxious, with waterlogging posing a serious threat to orchards in Fazilka district, one of the State's key citrus-producing regions. As the mandarin crop forms the backbone of the local agricultural economy, farmers are seeking the government's urgent intervention.

The heavy rain this season has raised the saline groundwater table from 9-10 feet to as little as 3 feet at certain places, according to orchardists and experts, submerging many orchards that are sensitive to waterlogged conditions and saline water.

"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 watching my trees die. I have tried to drain out the water, but it has proved to be a futile exercise. The orchard is getting destroyed and my years of investment will be ruined. It will take huge money and effort to rebuild the orchard, which will take around seven to eight years before it starts bearing fruit," said Kewal Krishan of Panjawala village in Abohar, who owns a 30-acre orchard.

Another farmer, Sandeep Singh, echoed his concerns. "The incessant rains this year have led to a significant rise in groundwater levels, which is posing a severe threat to kinnow trees as they are sensitive to waterlogged conditions and saline water exposure. The orchards in the low-lying areas are the worst hit. 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," said Mr. Singh, who has an orchard of eight acres.

"The government should assess our damage and provide financial support to growers for crop loss and also take rehabilitation measures to secure our future. This orchard is my key source of livelihood," added Mr. Singh.

In Diwan Khera village, horticulturist Balram said kinnow trees in his three-acre orchard were facing the same fate. "I haven't seen such rains in the past; this year has been really bad. My orchard was around four years old, but thanks to waterlogging, the trees have started to wilt. 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, which, given the climate changes, could become a new norm," he said.

Pointing out that an effective drainage mechanism is the need of the hour for flushing out the water, sarpanch (village head) of Sabuana, Sanjay Kumar said, "In the month of 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. There are several drains across villages in Fazilka, but they need effective upkeep for flushing out the water so that locals don't face problems."

In Punjab, the harvesting of kinnow usually begins in December and continues till the end of February. According to the State government data, the total area under kinnow in Punjab is around 48,000 hectares. Apart from Fazilka, kinnow is also grown in Hoshiarpur, Muktsar, Bathinda and a few other districts.

Experts suggest that waterlogged soils are not suitable for citrus cultivation as such conditions lead to root injury and decay, ultimately resulting in the death of the plant. Similarly, the soils with inadequate surface drainage also need to be avoided.

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; the waterlogging situation keeps changing. However, wherever the waterlogging occurs, it is detrimental to kinnow. In Abohar and surrounding villages, we have been witnessing a waterlogging problem over the years, but this year it has aggravated. If the groundwater table is around three to four feet, it is not good for kinnow. The level needs to at around 10 feet or below," Dr. Rattanpal said

Punjab's Deputy Director of Horticulture Harmel Singh said, "In certain blocks of Abohar, waterlogging has been a problem for kinnow orchards over the years. This year, after the rains, around 1,290 acres are waterlogged. The groundwater table also rose to around three feet in places. There have been instances of fruit-dropping as well. Once the water completely clears, then the exact loss would be determined."

Punjab's kinnow growers anxious over water-logging following rains