Non-paddy kharif crops a respite for Punjab’s farmers

Chandigarh After a season where paddy stubble burning dominated headlines, farmers have something to cheer. The per acre yield and price of kharif crops — potato,

Chandigarh After a season where paddy stubble burning dominated headlines, farmers have something to cheer. The per acre yield and price of kharif crops — potato, maize, cotton and basmati — has gone up, benefitting growers. There has been an increase in area under cultivation of these crops over last season with basmati grown at 6.3 lakh hectare from 5.1 lakh hectare (around 25% increase); maize to 1.6 lakh hectare from 1.1 lakh hectare (30%), and cotton to 3.9 lakh hectare from 2.7 lakh hectare (45%).

HT Image

In the case of potato, the area under cultivation has stayed the same as last season at 1 lakh hectare, though its price has increased at least 3-4 times. “This season potato is selling at between ₹17 and ₹18 a kg, against last year’s rate of ₹4-5 a kg,” said an officer in the state agriculture department.

He added that in March, the crop gives 1.5-time yield, but farmers were making a good decision in harvesting the crop at this stage, as it was fetching a good price.

“Overall, it’s a good (kharif) season for farmers. We were able to bring about diversification by increasing area under non-paddy crops. Their per hectare yield increased and price these crops fetched was also better than the previous season,” said agriculture secretary Kahan Singh Pannu.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) president BS Rajewal told HT that the potato grower was upbeat because one hectare was yielding 250 quintal, which meant that it was earning anywhere between ₹4.5 lakh and ₹5 lakh. He, however, claimed that basmati rates were not as impressive this year, when it fetched between ₹3,500 and ₹3,600 a quintal.

“This season, the crop has fetched between ₹2,400 and ₹3,100 a quintal which still is not a bad bargain, especially when things with the major importer Iran is not that smooth,” Pannu added. Record shows that basmati yield per hectare has risen to 43.42 quintal this year from 43.18 quintal last year.

WHITE GOLD SAW

HIGH YIELD, PRICES RISE

Cotton yield has also increased from 8 quintal to 7.76 quintal this season with the total production at 18 lakh quintal. The crop, also known as white gold, fetched ₹5,450 against last year’s price of ₹5,000 a quintal. “This year, the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) purchased 20% of the total cotton crop, which is good sign. Last season, it did not purchase a single kilogram,” Pannu added.

MAIZE TOO BRINGS GOOD NEWS

The area of kharif maize, which is sown between June to October, increased by at least 51,000 hectares this season. Compared to the previous season, yield rose to 37.5 quintal from 36 quintal. Total production was 6 lakh tonne from around 4 lakh tonne last season with the crop fetching ₹2,400 a quintal.

Quotes

We were able to bring about diversification by increasing area under non-paddy crops. Their per hectare yield increased and price fetched was also better than the previous season.

Kahan Singh Pannu,

Punjab agriculture secretary