Farmers in Jammu and Kashmir are reaping the benefits of a bumper paddy crop in the wake timely rains and the absence of a disease outbreak this year.

Farmers expressed their happiness over the crop returns.

"We sowed the paddy in May and will cut it now. The crop this year is very good in comparison to the previous year. Rains this year were adequate and the colour of the paddy is extremely good. People are busy cutting and making bundles of the crop," said Parvez Ahmed, a farmer.

The State agriculture department says that the introduction of new high yield varieties of paddy and pleasant weather conditions have resulted in a bumper crop.

"The crop this year is good. Last year the production was less, thanks to rains which didn''t cause losses this year. We are reaping results of the crop sown in May," said Shabir Ahmed Lone, another farmer.

The harvesting season of paddy starts from the end of September in Kashmir every year.

The State Agriculture Department has predicted a five to six percent increase in production in comparison to last year''s 500,000 metric tonnes of paddy.

"As for paddy is concerned last year the production was 500,000 metric tonnes, which is expected to increase by 5-6 percent this year. The bumper crop is a result of favourable climate," said Manzoor Shah, director of agriculture department of Jammu and Kashmir.

Agriculture accounts for 25 percent of India''s GDP and drives domestic demand in Asia''s fourth-largest economy. (ANI)