Madhya Pradesh tops stubble burning in 2025 as Punjab, Haryana record historic decline
Madhya Pradesh recorded 10,800 fire incidents this year, making up 45.7 % of all cases, the highest among the northern states and more than twice the number reported in Punjab. Once the biggest contributor, Punjab logged 5,046 fires (21.4 %), reflecting an extraordinary 94 % reduction compared to 2020.
New Delhi: The geography of stubble burning in north India has undergone a dramatic shift in 2025, with Madhya Pradesh emerging as the biggest contributor to crop-residue fires, while Punjab and Haryana, traditionally the epicentres, have reported their lowest numbers in years. According to cumulative fire count data available till November 20, the five northern states together recorded 23,608 farm fires this year.
Shifting fire hotspots
Madhya Pradesh alone accounted for 10,800 cases, a massive 45.7 per cent share of all burning incidents, the highest in the region and more than double Punjab’s count. Punjab, which for years dominated stubble-burning charts, logged 5,046 cases (21.4 per cent), marking a stunning 94 per cent decline since 2020. Haryana reported just 592 fires, a mere 2.5 per cent share, cementing its position as the best-performing state through a consistent five-year decline.
Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, however, recorded a worrying upward trend. UP’s stubble fires have surged for four consecutive years, rising from 1,905 in 2022 to 4,507 in 2025, a 137 per cent increase. Western districts, delayed harvesting and limited deployment of straw-management machinery are believed to be contributing to this rise. Rajasthan followed a similar pattern, with fire counts climbing 2.5 times between 2021 and 2025, reaching 2,663 this year.
Policy impact uneven
Experts note that Punjab’s sharp decline is driven by widespread mechanisation, including the Happy Seeder and Super SMS, stricter enforcement mechanisms, and alternative uses of paddy straw such as biomass fuel and packaging. A possible reduction in paddy acreage in select districts has also helped accelerate compliance. The drop between 2024 and 2025 alone stands at 50 per cent, indicating a behavioural shift among farmers.
Haryana’s improvement, meanwhile, is credited to a more uniform policy push and no reversal in any year since 2021. Officials say targeted subsidies, early interventions and district-level monitoring have kept numbers on a steady downward path. In contrast, Madhya Pradesh shows highly volatile trends. Fire counts have oscillated between 6,000 and 13,000 over six years, reflecting uneven enforcement and diverse cropping patterns. Districts in the Malwa-Nimar belt continue to witness persistent burning.