Rajgarh Farmers Turn to Early-Maturing Wheat Amid Water Scarcity

Scanty rainfall in Madhya Pradesh's Rajgarh district has left farmers worried about the upcoming Rabi season, prompting them to switch to early-maturing wheat varieties that require less water.

Farmers are looking for crops that can thrive with limited irrigation and shorter growing periods due to the uncertainty of water availability. The Govindpura reservoir, a major source of water for the region, is only about half full, according to farmers.

With soybean ready for harvest, farmers have begun preparing for Rabi sowing, but the demand for early-maturing wheat varieties has increased, and seed prices have reached nearly Rs 3,500 per quintal. Farmer Rajesh Parihar said growing long-duration wheat could be risky if water remains scarce.

The agriculture department has advised farmers to select crops according to available irrigation resources, suggesting alternatives like gram and mustard that require less water than wheat. Senior farmers Raghunathji Omkar Patel and Hariom Sirvi warned that deficient rainfall can affect farmers financially beyond one season.