Rudrapur, May 28 -- In the wake of a government ban on summer paddy cultivation due to declining groundwater levels, farmers in Udham Singh Nagar (US Nagar) district have turned to cultivating maize, raising the area under the crop's cultivation to 6,000 hectares this year from 400 hectares the year before, officials said. The district administration has signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with three firms to provide a market for farmers to sell their maize and support the transition. "We have signed MoUs with three firms for maize procurement. Farmers are being asked to register with these firms so that the companies can schedule dates and times for purchasing the produce. This system will prevent delays at procurement centres," said AK Saxena, Chief Agriculture Officer (CAO), US Nagar. Officials said farmers in US Nagar traditionally cultivate paddy twice a year-once during the monsoon and again in June as summer paddy. In recent years, summer paddy was grown on around 22,000 hectares. However, its cultivation relies heavily on groundwater extracted via tube wells, which has led to a significant drop in water levels. Concerned about the sustainability of groundwater resources, the administration imposed a ban on summer paddy on November 29. The administration has since been promoting maize as an alternative, noting that it requires significantly less water. While the ban initially sparked opposition from farmers, a temporary reprieve was granted for this year following intervention by chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. Farmers had appealed to the chief minister, citing that they had already developed summer paddy nurseries and a sudden ban would result in financial losses. Despite the temporary allowance, many farmers have voluntarily shifted to maize on the condition that the administration ensures a reliable market for their produce. The MoUs signed with firms based in Pantnagar, Kichha, and Sitarganj are part of this commitment. "These three firms will purchase maize at Rs.1,500 per quintal, provided the moisture content is 15% or less," said Saxena. The minimum support price (MSP) set for maize for the marketing season 2024-25 was Rs.2,225 per quintal, according to a government press release....