In Haryana, straw burning cases dip as fodder prices rise

Deepender Deswal

Hisar, May 20

Higher fodder prices have restricted farmers in Haryana from burning wheat straw in the fields this year. Agriculture Department data showed a decrease in the number of crop residue burning cases during wheat harvesting this year.

The state recorded 2,873 cases of residue burning this season, as against 3,499 in 2020, showing a decrease of around 19 per cent.

Agriculture experts and officials said a spurt in fodder prices restrained farmers from burning the crop residue this year. “Dry fodder prices have gone up to record Rs 1,500 per quintal. Considering the situation, Hisar, Sirsa and Fatehabad administrations have banned the sale of fodder outside their respective jurisdiction,” said Dr Vinod Kumar Phogat, Deputy Director of Agriculture, DDA, Hisar.

Dr Phogat said most of the residue fire cases this season were either due to accident or short circuit.

Sajjan Chaudhary of Surpura village in Bhiwani district said there was a huge demand of fodder in Rajasthan villages that used to get it from Punjab and Haryana earlier. “Earlier, we would harvest wheat crop using machines and burn down the stubble to ready the land for the next crop.

This time, we harvested wheat manually to obtain maximum fodder,” he said.

Agriculture expert Dr Ram Kumar said, “Sudden spurt in fodder prices has been able to wean farmers away from burning of crop residue. The government had not been able do so over the past so many years, despite spending huge amounts under various schemes. It needs to design schemes in a way that draws attention of farmers, rather than providing subsidies on machinery, etc.”