Agriculture: The growing threat of double-rice cropping

Dawn reported that double-rice cropping, in which farmers grow an early rice crop before the main Kharif crop, is spreading across several Punjab districts and posing a growing threat to the sector. Short-duration basmati and hybrid varieties, combined with weak enforcement of the Punjab ban on raising nurseries before May 20, have encouraged the practice. Field reports from Pakpattan, Okara and Sahiwal indicate severe stem borer and top borer infestations in the main crop.

The authors, Khalid Wattoo and Dr Waqar Ahmad, argue that the early crop serves as a bridge host that lets pests survive until the main crop is sown. In affected fields, most farmers have failed to control the pests despite repeated pesticide applications, and report yields of 20 to 35 maunds per acre. Pesticide dealers report far higher sales this year, while environmentalists warn of rising pesticide use and groundwater strain.

The authors see the April 2025 lifting of the nursery ban, when maize seed stocks had already sold out, as a failure of policy continuity. Limited crop choices, potentially higher returns and the aim of three crops a year explain why farmers persist with the practice. They urge the government to adopt a clear policy and enforce the May 20 nursery ban, warning of less rice output from more inputs.