Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 150
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 151
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 148]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 181]
LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Drought looming large, input cost of paddy crop escalates -Neeraj Mohan

Drought looming large, input cost of paddy crop escalates -Neeraj Mohan

Share this article Share this article
published Published on Jul 16, 2014   modified Modified on Jul 16, 2014
-The Hindustan Times


Sangrur: With a drought-like situation looming large in the state following a below-average monsoon so far, farmers in the district are worried that they will not get a bumper paddy crop this year.

Now, the farmers are running from pillar to post to protect their crops from the scorching heat to reduce its impact on the produce.

A less rainfall has also increased the input cost as most of the farmers are using diesel generators to pump water while others have switched over to expensive varieties of basmati such as Puasa 1121 and Pusa 1509 which require less water.

Rajinder Singh Sohi, chief agriculture officer, Sangrur, said only 14 mm rainfall was recorded in Sangrur district in June against 44 mm during the corresponding period last year.

The total rainfall in July so far is below 5mm this year.

Agriculture experts say that as per traditional methods paddy crop needs about 3000-3,500 litres of water to produce 1 kg rice and a lesser rainfall might bring down the farmers' margins.

As the electricity supply to the agriculture sector has also gone down to 5 hours from earlier 8 hours a day, the farmers are now dependent on diesel pumps to irrigate their crop, which costs about Rs. 500 per hour.

Even as officials of the district agriculture department are asking the farmers to sow short-duration and drought-resistant crops such as maize and pulses in the land not sown yet, the latter are reluctant to adopt these crops which fetch them less money.

In Malerkotla and Dhuri, farmers have been urging the state government to allow them to use 25 hp motor pumps since 20 hp water pumps are not able to meet their need.

"If we use a water pump above 20 hp, we will have to pay hefty electricity bills like commercial consumers. But with the groundwater level going down, 20 hp water pumps have failed to meet the requirement. Now we request the government extend the free electricity scheme up to 25 hp water pumps to protect farmers from a draught-like situation," said Niranjan Singh, a farmer from Dhuri.
Besides, a small hike of Rs. 50 in the minimum support price (MSP) of paddy has also dismayed the farmers here.

"The input cost, especially the prices of fertilisers and diesel, has increased but the government has turned a blind eye to farmers. Rs. 50 hike in the Minimum Support Price of paddy is an insult to the farming community," said Avtar Singh, a farmer from Sangrur.

Sangrur district has topped the state in per hectare rice yield with 47.24 quintals. It has also topped the state in rice production with 12,90,000 tonnes contributing 11.5 per cent to the total rice production in the state.

This year, the farmers in the district, which has a total 2.70 lakh hectare area under paddy cultivation, are finding it difficult even to meet the expenses.

The poor monsoon has also worried the dairy farmers as the price of fodder has also increased to Rs. 600 per quintal.

"The deficiency of rain will also affect milk production as we are already facing shortage to wheat fodder and green grass," said Gurpreet Singh, a dairy farmer from Malerkotla.


The Hindustan Times, 15 July, 2014, http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/patiala/drought-looming-large-input-cost-of-paddy-crop-escalates/article1-1240408.aspx


Related Articles

 

Write Comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

Video Archives

Archives

share on Facebook
Twitter
RSS
Feedback
Read Later

Contact Form

Please enter security code
      Close