Ludhiana, Oct. 7 -- The unseasonal rainfall has hit paddy arrivals at grain markets across Ludhiana, leaving both farmers and traders to cope with the wet conditions. According to official data, paddy arrivals in the district on Monday stood at 7,200 metric tonnes, a sharp 24% decline from 9,500 metric tonnes recorded on Sunday.

Officials attribute this drop to the untimely showers, which have delayed harvesting of standing crops in the fields. Gurdeep Singh, chief agricultural officer, explained that the rain has disrupted harvesting for two to three days. "For better quality paddy, the crops need to be completely dry. Continuous rainfall has made it difficult to maintain this condition amid humidity, affecting the yield and arrival, he...