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Madhya Pradesh Tops Paddy Stubble-Burning Incidents in 2026
A bulletin on paddy stubble-burning currently reports that Madhya Pradesh records the highest number of incidents among 7 monitored states. The bulletin has been released by the Consortium for Research on Agroecosystem Monitoring and Modelling from Space (CREAMS) of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI).
CREAMS Bulletin on Paddy Stubble-Burning:
| Dimension | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Monitoring period and total incidents | The bulletin provides for 287 reported incidents between 15 September and 6 October 2026 across 7 states. |
| State-wise incident counts | The bulletin provides for the following incident counts: Madhya Pradesh 118, Punjab 88, and Uttar Pradesh 65. |
| Punjab trend | The bulletin provides for a finding that Punjab records the lowest number of incidents for this period in the past 7 years. |
| Stubble burning definition | Stubble burning comprises the intentional burning of crop residues remaining in fields following harvest. |
| When stubble burning is commonly practised | This practice comprises a prevalent method in paddy cultivation, and it is commonly practised when the interval between paddy harvesting and wheat sowing is short. |
| Factors contributing to increased stubble burning in Madhya Pradesh | The bulletin provides for the following contributing factors: changing cropping patterns from soybean, black gram, and other Kharif crops to paddy; climate-related risks from extreme weather conditions; ease of disposal due to quick and low-cost field clearing; and agricultural mechanisation that leaves significant crop residue. |
| Environmental impacts | Stubble burning provides for the following impacts: air quality deterioration due to particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) and other pollutants; human health risks including aggravated asthma, respiratory illness, and cardiovascular risks; soil fertility impacts including reduced soil organic matter and harm to beneficial soil organisms; greenhouse gas emissions including carbon dioxide, and under some burning conditions methane and nitrous oxide; biodiversity impacts harming insects, microorganisms, and small animals; and regional environment impacts where smoke reduces visibility and contributes to atmospheric pollution. |
| CREAMS institutional location | CREAMS comprises an inter-disciplinary research initiative of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. |
| CREAMS coordination | CREAMS comprises an initiative coordinated by the Division of Agricultural Physics. |
| CREAMS work domains | CREAMS provides for research and capacity building in using remote sensing, agro-meteorology, and agro-models for qualitative and quantitative assessment of crops and crop environment from field to regional scale in India. |