Jalandhar witnessed an unusual agricultural moment on Monday as farmers gathered in Malsian village to harvest a crop rarely seen in Punjab’s fields. Instead of the familiar paddy or wheat, thick cassava tubers were pulled out from neatly raised ridges on a three-acre experimental plot, drawing curiosity and cautious optimism. The successful harvest of this tropical crop marked what many described as a decisive step towards crop diversification in the state.The initiative was spearheaded by former Punjab minister and Congress MLA Rana Gurjit Singh along with his son Rana Inder Pratap Singh, MLA from Sultanpur Lodhi in Kapurthala district. The experimental cultivation was carried out in the fields of Congress MLA Hedev Singh Laddi Sherowalia in Malsian village.Cassava, a gluten-free and climate-resilient tuber, is widely grown in southern states such as Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Originally native to South America, it later spread across Africa, which today accounts for nearly 50% of global cassava production, and eventually became a major crop in South India.A large number of farmers gathered at the site to witness the results of the experiment. Dr M Neduchezhiyan, Principal Scientist and Head, Regional Centre of the ICAR–Central Tuber Crops Research Institute, Bhubaneswar, who was present during the harvest, said introducing cassava to North India had been a long-cherished goal.“I had been attempting for nearly 15 years to introduce cassava in North India but could not succeed until Rana Inder Pratap Singh approached me with a concrete plan,” he said. He explained that Punjab’s climate is suitable if the crop is sown in the first week of March, when temperatures are around 28°C. The crop requires warm weather during early growth and cooler temperatures at maturity, making it possible to harvest by the end of December, January or February under Punjab conditions. In North India, cassava becomes a 10-month crop, whereas in South India it can be grown almost year-round and harvested within seven to eleven months.Also Read | ‘Golden seed’ glut: Why Punjab’s seed potato hub faces crisis every few years“Cassava requires nearly one-tenth the water used for paddy, making it a strong alternative amid Punjab’s water crisis. The first two months are crucial for irrigation, but later the crop needs only soil moisture. It is highly climate-resilient and can tolerate dry conditions. Even after maturity, tubers can remain in the soil without rotting, allowing farmers flexibility to harvest when market rates are favourable,” he said.Explaining the cultivation method, Dr Neduchezhiyan said the crop is grown on a ridge-and-furrow system using 20 cm stem cuttings rather than seeds or tubers. The recommended spacing is 3 ft between rows and plants, accommodating around 5,000 plants per acre. The stem is planted 5 cm deep in the soil, with about 15 cm left above the surface. Re-ridging is done after the first month and again in the second and third months. After three months, the foliage spreads fully and field entry becomes difficult. The crop grows well in sandy, loamy and alluvial soils, with sandy soil yielding better results. It has no major pest or disease problems, and herbicides such as glyphosate can be used for weed control without harming the crop. In the experiment, two bags of DAP and two-and-a-half bags of urea were applied per acre.Story continues below this ad“At present, there are only four major climate-resilient crops identified globally, with cassava ranked at the top. The others include maize, amaranth and yams,” he said.The three-acre experimental plot reportedly produced around 250 quintals per acre in green weight. After drying, the yield stands at approximately 175 quintals per acre. The input cost is estimated at Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 per acre.Rana Gurjit Singh called upon farmers to adopt the crop and announced a minimum assured purchase price of Rs 1,500 per quintal. He said harvesting and processing would be arranged within 12 hours, as cassava has a shelf life of about 48 hours after harvest and must be processed quickly to avoid fermentation.“With these calculations, a farmer can earn Rs 2.5 to Rs 2.6 lakh per acre, which is much higher compared to wheat and paddy combined. Together, both crops are not yielding more than Rs 90,000 per acre while severely depleting groundwater,” he said.Story continues below this adProcessing remains the main challenge. In South India, particularly Kerala, hundreds of factories process cassava into products such as sabudana, starch and chips. In North India, such infrastructure is limited. Cassava can be used to produce gluten-free flour, biscuits, cookies, pasta, noodles, snack foods, poultry feed, industrial starch for textiles and even bio-ethanol. However, setting up a processing factory requires at least 500 acres under cultivation in a cluster, which may take time to achieve in Punjab.Rana assured both purchase and processing support.Several farmers present expressed willingness to cultivate cassava on one or two acres in the coming season. Rana Inder Pratap Singh said he expects around 100 acres to come under cassava cultivation next season. He highlighted that the crop has one of the highest starch contents among food crops, making it suitable for the textile industry and ethanol production.Experts from Punjab Agricultural University were also present, including Dr Hari Ram. Dr Harinder Singh, Associate Director of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kapurthala, along with PAU scientists Dr Amit Kaul and Dr Gulzar Singh, attended the harvest.“With guaranteed buyback, low water requirement, climate resilience and multiple industrial applications, cassava can emerge as a viable alternative in Punjab’s diversification drive,” Rana Inder Pratap Singh said.Story continues below this adRana Gurjit Singh reiterated his commitment to diversification, warning that an Israeli survey had indicated Punjab’s groundwater reserves may last only 15 to 20 more years if paddy cultivation continues at the present scale. As former chairman of a Vidhan Sabha committee formed to address the water crisis, he said he would go to any extent at a personal level to promote diversification if governments fail to act.For many farmers present, the harvest in Malsian was not merely about a new crop but an attempt to move beyond paddy and secure Punjab’s agricultural and water future.