For better price, sow different rice

Economists and experts at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) have advised farmers in northern states to sow diverse varieties instead of just one, as that will maintain the demand-supply balance and prevent heavy losses. Most farmers in the ricegrowing states sow Punjab PUSA Basmati 1509 to cater to the demand from the Middle East, Europe, and the US.

Economists and experts at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) have advised farmers in northern states to sow diverse varieties instead of just one, as that will maintain the demand-supply balance and prevent heavy losses.

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Most farmers in the ricegrowing states sow Punjab PUSA Basmati 1509 to cater to the demand from the Middle East, Europe, and the US; but if its cultivation increases each year, the price will fall dangerously, opine experts.

Field surveys suggest that almost every farmer will sow Basmati 1509. “Last year, it was cultivated over 5.59 lakh hectares in Punjab. For a demandsupply balance and good price, the area under it should not rise by over 10%,” said MS Sidhu, head of the department of economics and sociology at the PAU.

Last year, 13 districts of MP and five of AP also cultivated Basmati 1509, even though these states do not have any rice-growing tradition. “The excess of everything is bad,” said Sidhu.

Director of extension education HS Dhaliwal, also dean of the College of Agriculture, said the university had tried to make farmers aware through Kisan Melas and other training programmes. “We advise them to show different varieties of rice and not rely on one.”