Punjab Border Farmers Grapple with Limited Working Hours Amid Security Constraints

Punjab’s agricultural heartland stretches up to the international boundary with Pakistan, where a strip of farmland now faces unusual hardships. Local cultivators report that the proximity to the border has turned routine sowing and harvesting into a precarious task, as they must constantly navigate security protocols and occasional alerts.

The chief difficulty cited by the farmers is the severe restriction on the time they can spend in their fields. Because of heightened vigilance and the risk of cross‑border incidents, they are often allowed only a few hours each day to tend to crops, limiting irrigation, weeding and other essential activities.

These constraints are taking a toll on productivity and income, forcing many to adapt by prioritising quick‑growing varieties or seeking alternative livelihoods. While the government has pledged to address border‑area agricultural concerns, the day‑to‑day reality for these farmers remains a struggle to keep their lands productive under tight time limits.