Better prices attract farmers towards mustard cultivation

Amritsar, April 27

Encouraged by good prices of mustard crop in the last year, farmers have substantially increased the area under cultivation of the crop in the district. This time mustard was being cultivated on over 3,000 hectares (7,500 acres) of land earlier the oilseed was grown on a negligible area in the district.

During the ongoing season too, the mustard crop has fetched a good price which is expected to further attract the farmers towards the cash crop. The mustard this year was being sold between Rs 5,600 to Rs 6,250 per quintal in the local market.

The farmers stated that mustard if it continued to fetch good prices in the future, too, could become an alternate to wheat crop.

The district agriculture officials stated that per acre mustard yield in the district, too, has decreased a little to 6.5 quintal from the nearly 7 quintal last year.

The cultivation of mustard in the district for home consumption, too, has increased as the residents had to buy mustard oil for cooking at high prices.

During the previous year, the mustard oil had seen a steep increase on prices from Rs 80 per litre to Rs 200 per litre. “Most of the farmers, even if have not cultivated mustard for sale in the market had sown it for personal consumption,” said an agriculture official.

Profitable venture

• Earlier, the oilseed was grown on a negligible area in the district, but this time mustard is being cultivated on over 3,000 hectares (7,500 acre) of land
• During the ongoing season, too, the mustard crop has fetched a good price, which is expected to further attract farmers towards the cash crop
• The mustard this year is being sold between Rs 5,600 & Rs 6,250 per quintal in the local market
• During the previous year, the mustard oil had seen a steep increase in prices from Rs 80 per litre to Rs 200 per litre