Pusa-1509 Paddy Floods Karnal Markets, Farmers Reap Higher Prices

The early-maturing Pusa-1509 paddy variety from Uttar Pradesh has started arriving in Karnal grain markets at a faster pace. Farmers are selling their crop for higher prices, between Rs 3,200 and Rs 3,900 per quintal, compared to last year when it was sold between Rs 2,400 and Rs 3,200.

The high demand from private traders has led farmers to bring their Pusa-1509 crop to Karnal for sale. The grain markets in the district have recorded an arrival of 29,891 metric tonnes (MT) of Pusa-1509 so far, with private traders purchasing 29,857 MT.

Karnal grain market has seen the highest arrival with 25,718 MT, followed by Indri with 2,230 MT, Gharaunda with 1,221 MT, and Taraori with 690 MT. Farmers from Uttar Pradesh transplant Pusa-1509 immediately after harvesting wheat in mid-April and harvest it by mid-July.

Pawan Kumar, a farmer from Shamli district in UP, said he got good returns from the paddy 1509 variety as his crop was procured at Rs 3,700 per quintal, while last year it was sold between Rs 2,900 and 3,100. He added that the early variety gives them enough time to transplant another paddy crop during the same season.