Adverse effect of populist measures
By G.S. Dhillon
PUNJAB’S water economy is in a serious state owing to the warped policy of supplying water free for irrigation. Farmers are no longer required to pay for electricity consumed for operating tubewells supplying water for irrigation. Also they are not charged for water supplied through the canal system. These two were the gifts given to the farmers by the Badal government soon after it took over.

Beneficiaries of crop insurance scheme
By Suraj Bhan Dahiya
IN India, agriculture is much prone to the vagaries of nature, the element of risk is much higher here, besides, unlike in the industrial sector, the farmers have two facets of uncertainties; it is prone both to output and price fluctuations. Even a causal look at agricultural policies around the world reveals many surprising anomalies.

Leaf curl virus attacks cotton
GOD seems to be unkind to the cotton growers of Punjab again as their hopes of getting better per acre yield this year have been dashed to the ground as the leaf curl virus disease has gripped the standing crop in the entire cotton belt of the state.

Plan to boost economy in HP, J&K
By Sarbjit Singh

A massive operation has been put into gear to give a boost and new look to the economy of Himachal Pradesh, terrorist-infested areas of Jammu and Kashmir and the Garhwal and Kumaon hill region of Uttar Pradesh.

Forest and horticulture are the mainstay of the economy of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.

Several flaws and weak points have been detected in the horticulture production system of Himachal and J and K. A detailed discussion at the expert level has been held under the banner of the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) to remove flaws and step up production.

The ICAR has entrusted the task to its Central Soil and Water Conservation Research and Training Institute, Dehra Dun, to act as a nodal agency and get projects worth Rs 32 crore prepared and implemented to improve production in the hill states.

Take the case of Himachal Pradesh, Apple is the main fruit crop of the state. Apple takes 85 per cent in the total fruit output in the state and the area under it is about 39 per cent of the total cultivated land.

But, according to Dr J S Samra, Director of the institute, there is a vast difference between the per hectare average yield of apple in HP and J and K. Normally the average yield of apple remains below four tonnes per hectare in Himachal, whereas it is above nine tonnes in J and K. Last year apple growers reaped a rich apple harvest with the average yield touching five tonnes per hectare. The apple output last year was 4.67 lakh tonnes grown over 90,000 hectares.

Dr Samra says that in 1993-94, the area under apple crop was 72,406 hectares and the average yield per hectare was 4.07 tonnes in HP, while in J & K it was 10.84 tonnes grown over 73,103 hectares.

To bring apple production in Himachal at par with J and K, a meeting was held at Srinagar under the chairmanship of Dr R S Paroda, Secretary for Agriculture Research and Education and Director-General of the ICAR. Vice-Chancellors and directors of research of various universities located in hill regions and ministers of the hill states participated in the meeting.

Apart from apple, other fruit crops and agriculture allied occupations like fishery, sheep and rabbit rearing were also discussed.

The reasons enlisted for the low per hectare average yield of apple in Himachal were dependence of the apple crop on rain in most areas and low density of plantation in orchards. The experts proposed an inter-state linkage (between J and K and Himachal) to raise apple production.

Dr Samra says elite root stock of dwarf varieties would be collected from the Kashmir valley to increase the plantation density in Himachal Pradesh. Water would be harvested at various places to ensure sprinkler irrigation for the apple crop.

Dr Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry has been assigned the task of joining hands with experts in the Kashmir valley and elsewhere for implementing this project.

Kiwis, walnuts and almonds are the other fruit crops which can revolutionise the economy of HP and J and K. There is demand for walnuts in the international market and it can bring a lot of foreign exchange.

The problem with the walnut crop is that it has no clonal root stocks, which could help in maintaining uniformity in size. The north-western Himalayan region has a rich germplasm of walnuts and almonds. The existing walnut is from seedlings which has good quality, productivity and other desirable traits.

Dr Samra says that the Central Institute of Temperate Horticulture at Srinagar has submitted a project for clonal selection and sustainable production systems for nuts (walnut and almond).

Dr A. A. Sofi, Director of the Srinagar-based institute, was acting as principal investigator of the project which had experts from the regional station at Mukteshwar and Sher-e-Kashmir University. Jammu and Kashmir , UP and HP has 70,000 hectares under walnuts.

After clonal selection, grafting process would be started for getting a yield in the third or fourth year after planting a sapling, whereas now the fruit yield starts in the 12th year after germination.

The same is a case with almonds. Most of the almond crop is damaged by early spring frost in the hilly regions. The almond plantation is of seedlings and there exists a variability in the blooming of this crop. Some bloom early and some very late.

Dr Samra says that late blooming varieties suit Indian conditions. It is mostly grown in J and K. From areas 19,302 hectares under this crop the yield was 7,158 tonne last year. The almond grown in Himachal Pradesh matures for fruitation in the monsoon season. It is harvested at green bull stage and has a shelf life of only a few days. With selection of elite clones from late blooming plants its production level will be enhanced.

Ginger is another important crop in Himachal Pradesh but it has been affected by diseases like rotting of rhizome. To avoid ginger from rot disease, rotation of crop and quick propagation of planting material through tissue culture technique has been recommended to minimise the losses in production of ginger.

Breeding of dual purpose sheep for both meat and wool and rabbits for angora wool production are other areas on which the ICAR is concentrating for raising the standard of living in hill regions of J and K. Rabbit rearing has been hit by inbreeding in Himachal. Due to this reason, the yield of angora wool has come down from 800 gm to 150 gm per season per rabbit in Himachal.

Cold water fishery is another area to which importance is being given. As many as 5,000 lakes have been identified in Jammu and Kashmir and these are said to be fit for producing high-quality fish.

There is a proposal to set up a veterinary collage to upgrade livestock, agriculture university, home science department and girls hostels in Jammu region, according to Dr Samra. Funds for this will be provided by ICAR, he adds.

Adverse effect of populist measures
By G.S. Dhillon

PUNJAB’S water economy is in a serious state owing to the warped policy of supplying water free for irrigation. Farmers are no longer required to pay for electricity consumed for operating tubewells supplying water for irrigation. Also they are not charged for water supplied through the canal system. These two were the gifts given to the farmers by the Badal government soon after it took over.

The two measures have resulted in derailing Punjab’s economy and putting the PSEB (Punjab State Electricity Board) and the Irrigation Department in tight position. In the case of the ground water resource, the measure has resulted in the acceleration of water table decline in the central districts. In the case of the south-western districts of Punjab where large tracts have been waterlogged, the Punjab Government has sanctioned on emergency basis 5,000 tubewells for cotton growers to switch over to paddy cultivation. This measure combined with free electricity has led to putting nearly 35 per cent more area under paddy cultivation, thus further aggravating the waterlogging situation.

In the central districts where water table was declining already, the situation has worsened and the farmers are required to switch over to submersible pumps which are much more costlier than the centrifugal pumps. The consumption of electricity by the farm sector has increased on two accounts — larger pumping effort due to water table decline and greater consumption on account of electricity being a free commodity.

In Punjab the farming sector consumed about 43.5 per cent of total power available to the state in 1993-94, amounting to 6343.9 million kwhs (for subsequent years figures available are provisional). The extent of increase after the introduction of the above mentioned populist measure is not available.

Of the total 118 blocks of Punjab, 75 have been ranked “dark”: the exploitation of ground water exceeding the annual recharge thus resulting in mining of water table. In case of 15 blocks the ranking is “grey”, thus indicating critical position. The rest of 32 blocks are located in either the waterlogged belt where ground water is highly saline i.e. not fit for irrigation or located in the kandi area where the sinking of tubewells is difficult and costly, hence the utilisation of ground water is low.

The ground water scenario is serious as in over 77 per cent area the water table is declining and in the rest of the 23 per cent, the water table has reached a position causing waterlogging or is prone to waterlogging.

The worst effect of the above populist measures is the shocking loss of interest for undertaking improved irrigation measures which can lead to conservation of water resources. In the case of the canal water the Punjab Government was thinking of increasing the water rates as the amount recovered was not enough even to meet the O&M charges of irrigation infrastructure.

The Government of India in 1992 appointed a high-level committee, known as the Vaidyanathan Committee to determine a fair rate of water rates. The committee found that against the recovery of Rs 300 crore the working expenditure of the irrigation works exceeded Rs 2,500 crore. But in Punjab with waiving the water rates, the revenue of the Irrigation Department has decreased to near nil. So the department is finding it difficult to provide work and salaries to staff since employed.

In the water-table decline areas another problem faced is that with the decline of water table, its quality is deteriorating i.e. it is becoming more saline as the water available at greater depths is of marine origin i.e. having higher concentration of salts and toxic metals.

At the present juncture when the voters in Punjab are going to exercise their right to vote, they would like to know from the candidates seeking their votes as to what is their stand on these two issues — free electricity for irrigation tubewells and also free canal water — the factors which have derailed Punjab’s economy and disturbed its water resources regime.

The National Water Policy provides for proper pricing of water used for irrigation so that farmers tend to deploy irrigation modes which lead to conservation of this scarce resource. The state governments should be forced to adopt the National Water Policy.

Beneficiaries of crop insurance scheme
By Suraj Bhan Dahiya

IN India, agriculture is much prone to the vagaries of nature, the element of risk is much higher here, besides, unlike in the industrial sector, the farmers have two facets of uncertainties; it is prone both to output and price fluctuations. Even a causal look at agricultural policies around the world reveals many surprising anomalies. In the USA for examples, the government pays farmers not to grow cereals. In the EEC, farmers are paid to grow more. In Japan, rice growers receive three times the world price for their crop. But in India, the farmers have neither any protection nor incentive whatsoever, and they are struggling out themselves for the bare living. During the past couple of years, when a number of farmers committed suicide in many states many an eyebrow was raised in various quarters. There was criticism that the state governments had underplayed the crisis. Many blamed the absence of effective farm policies for the crisis, other felt that the farmers were not protected against the losses they suffered on account of poor harvest.

Statistics show that agriculture continues to depend on weather conditions and is exposed to innumerable risks. Since long the demand for umbrella cover through crop insurance had been the key issue in and outside Parliament. Initiatives were taken by the government to provide indemnity for farmers whose produce was damaged. Crop insurance for the first time was introduced as a pilot scheme in 1979-80 in limited areas in 12 states. In April, 1985, a comprehensive crop insurance scheme (CCIS) was launched covering all the willing states and union territories.

Crop insurance is a procedure or a contract securing compensation for the loss or damage of crops on payment of premium as decided by the government and the General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC). It offers protection against loss caused by fluctuations in the output of a crop and is now in operation in 15 states and two union territories and aims at providing measure of financial support to farmers in the event of a crop failure as a result of natural calamities restoring the credit eligibility of farmers for the next crop season and supporting and stimulating production of cereals, pulses and oil seeds.

The CCIS covers all farmers availing of crop loans from banks. The insurance coverage which was 150 per cent of the amount of crop loan actually disbursed subject to ceiling of Rs 10,000 per farmer has since been reduced to 100 per cent of loan disbursed subject to a ceiling of Rs 10,000. The premium is 2 per cent of the sum insured for rice, wheat and millets and 1 per cent of the sum insured for oil seeds and pulses.

A major flaw in the CCIS is that some major cash crops such as cotton, sugarcane, jute, tobacco, potato, onion and the like are not under the purview of the crop insurance scheme. Many of these crops are grown by small and marginal farmers in regions susceptible to natural calamities like drought, flood. Also important crops like apple, litchi, grapes, mango and banana are not covered under the scheme.

However, the fact remain that since the inception of the scheme in 1985, about 58.2 million farmers have been covered over an area of about 99 million hectares insuring a sum of Rs 16,524 crore of which claims of over Rs 1,454 crore were paid to the farmers till March 31, 1998, although the premium income was only Rs 268 crore.

To enlarge the scope of the crop insurance scheme during the 1997-98 an experimental crop insurance scheme covering all small and marginal farmers (both loanee and non-loanee) in 24 select districts of eight states in the country was launched by the government for one year. This scheme covered the farmers growing cereals, including millets, pulses and oilseeds and 100 per cent insurance charges payable by them were met by the central and state governments. The financial liability on account of this subsidy as also the claims of small and marginal farmers were shared between the central and state governments in the ratio of 8:2.

In June, 1999, the Government of India launched the Rashtriya krishi bima yojana for all farmers. The scheme will come into force from the forthcoming rabi season in October, 1999. This scheme will cover all crops, including coarse crops of all pulses and oilseeds and in addition three cash crops — sugarcane, cotton and potato — have been brought under its purview to start with. The premium for wheat would be 1.5 per cent of the sum insured and for other rabi crops 2 to 2.5 per cent. For the kharif crops, which are more vulnerable to various calamities, the premium would be 3.5 per cent of the sum insured. The commercial crops and horticultural crops will be covered in next three years.

Initially, the GIC will implement the scheme and later an agricultural insurance corporation of India will be set up to pursue the crop insurance on the permanent basis. The Central Government and all the state governments will share the expenditure on 50:50 basis. The Central Government will bear the expenditure of Rs 413.18 crore in the first year, Rs 239.47 crore in the second year and Rs 216.17 crore in the third year. The equal amount will be contributed by the state governments.

The subsidy on the insurance scheme will be taken away after five years. Then it will be taken on actual rates. To begin with, the small and marginal farmers will be provided 50 per cent subsidy on premium. These categories of farmers together have 78 per cent of the total land holdings (105.29 million and operate 53.33 million hectares is representing 32.3 per cent of 165.60 million hectares of land as per 1990-91 agricultural census). When a major agricultural drought or other calamity takes place, the small and marginal farmers are generally the hardest hit. Policy initiative to operationalise various relief mechanisms for the benefit of sustained agriculture development and improve the lot of small and marginal farmers are already in existence. But they have failed to ameliorate the sufferings of poor peasantry. However, crops insurance scheme will prove more beneficial to this class of farmers in particular and other farmers in general.

Leaf curl virus attacks cotton

GOD seems to be unkind to the cotton growers of Punjab again as their hopes of getting better per acre yield this year have been dashed to the ground as the leaf curl virus disease has gripped the standing crop in the entire cotton belt of the state.

The cotton growers who have been getting very little per acre yield of their crop for the past six years and have come under heavy debt are making every efforts to save their “white gold” which is being reduced to ashes due to an attack of leaf curl virus disease.

Agriculture department sources said that apart from spreading of leaf curl virus disease, the American bollworm, spotted bollworm and jassid had also started appearing in some pockets of the cotton belt.

Mr A. S. Chandi, Joint Director, Agriculture and in charge of the cotton wing, Punjab, when contacted, said that though the situation of attack of different bollworm and jassid was not so alarming, the growers had been advised to use the recommended methods to save their crops. The affected plants were being uprooted and buried manually.

He added that an attack by American bollworm and spotted bollworm was below than economic threshold level (ETL) but the department was taking all the necessary steps which were required in the present situation.

He pointed out that about 50,000 Feroman traps were being installed in the cotton fields to trap and kill the bollworms. Besides, the growers had been advised not to use mixture of pesticides to kill the bollworm.

After repeated failure of the cotton crop for the past six years, a number of farmers of the cotton belt comprising Bathinda, Mansa, Muktsar, Faridkot, Ferozepore, Sangrur and Moga, districts have shifted to paddy crop and the area under cotton crop came to 4.65 lakh hectare this year from 5 lakh hectares last year. — TNS

Horticultural operations:

— This month is very suitable for planting of evergreen fruit plants like citrus, mango, guava, litchi and loquat as weather is suitable for the establishment and growth of fruit plants.

— The excess rain water when stagnates for several days is harmful to the orchard trees. Adopt prompt measures to drain out the excess rain water from the orchard. Prune the dried ends of the branches along with 5-8 cm of the live wood. Apply small dose of nitrogenous fertiliser to excess water-affected fruit trees.

— The short-statured leguminous intercrops like moong, mash, guara and beans may be put under vacant land in the young orchards.

— The papaya plants should be manured @ 0.75 kg of fertiliser i.e. ammonium sulphate, superphosphate and potassium sulphate in the ratio of 2:4:1 during the month along with 10 kg of well rotten farmyard manures.

— Spray the affected citrus trees with 0.3 per cent zinc sulphate without addition of lime to late summer flush in this month to control zinc deficiency.

— In citrus, spray 670 ml Rogor or 625 ml Nuvacron in 500 litres of water for the control of insect-pests. Spray bordeaux mixture (2:2:250) or 50 per cent copper oxachloride (0.3 per cent) for the control of citrus diseases.

— To check weeds in the ber orchard, spray 1.2 litres gramoxone (paraquat) during the second fortnight of August when the weeds are growing actively as a directed spray. Dissolve the herbicide in 200 litres of water per acre.

— In ber spray the trees with bordeaux mixture (2:2:250) or with 30 per cent copper oxychloride 50 per cent.

— To check insect-pests and diseases in mango, spray Thiodan 700 ml and Captan 1 kg in 50 litres of water for one acre.

— To control anthrenose and downy mildew diseases of grapes, spray the vines with Bordeaux mixture 2:2:150 in 400 litres of water.

General pests and weeds:

— Hairy caterpillar insect can be controlled by spraying 500 ml Thiodan 35 EC in 350 litres of water per acre.

— Parthenium is a problem weed of waste places, orchards and plantation crops. It makes luxuriant growth during this period. Check this weed through mechanical means such as repeated cuttings and digging. Spraying of Atrataf 50 WC @ 2.0 to 3.0 kg/acre as pre-emergence or post-emergence or glyphosate (Round up) @ 1.01/acre by dissolving in 200 to 250 litres of water also help controlling this weed. Parthenium plants at active growth stage but before flowering are highly susceptible to this herbicide.

— Progressive Farming, PAU