In 2 days, all downhill for Punjab’s cotton farmers

Perneet Singh

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, September 23

With rains lashing several parts of the region over the past couple of days, cotton and paddy farmers are at the receiving end of nature’s fury, apprehending a considerable crop loss.

The Tribune team visited various villages and found the farmers worried while praying for the rain to stop. Cotton farmers are the worst hit as the rainfall has arrived just when they were close to harvesting what could have been a bumper crop. 

Meeha Singh of Gobindpura village, a small farmer who had sown cotton on his 1-acre land, said, “Had the weather remained dry for another week, I would have reaped a rich harvest, but all my hopes are dashed. I had a tough time rearing the cotton crop, protecting it from threats such as white fly. However, the rain has now led to moisture in blooming cotton bolls, a majority of which have also blackened.” 

Jarnail Singh, another cotton farmer from Dhelwan village, said he apprehends losing at least 25 per cent of the yield due to an unexpected spell of rainfall at the fag-end of the season. 

He said he had been hoping for good returns from the crop cultivated on his 1.75 acres, but it didn’t turn out the way he desired. 

PAU’s senior farm economist Dr GS Romana said, “The rains could not have come at a worse time for the cotton farmers, as they were about to reap a rich harvest.

However, the rainfall will now lead to discolouration of cotton, affecting its quality, besides taking a toll on its productivity. In case of paddy too, the lodging of crop will adversely affect its quality and yield.”

Incidentally, experts were anticipating a good cotton crop this year in terms of yield, as weather conditions had remained conducive for it till now. This, despite the fact that the area under cotton cultivation in Punjab has declined by almost 1 lakh hectares compared to last year. The cotton had started arriving in the market in areas like Fazilka and the farmers were upbeat, as their produce was already fetching a price of above Rs 5,800 per quintal. Earlier, the government had raised the MSP of cotton from Rs 4,020 to Rs 5,150 per quintal.

Meanwhile, the paddy farmers are equally dejected, particularly the ones who had opted for early varieties. Lachhman Singh from Gobindpura village said, “I have sown paddy on 15 acres, which I had taken on lease at a rate of Rs 53,000 per acre. The rainfall, accompanied by strong winds, has led to flattening of crop and now I fear whether I would be able to take home some money after shelling out the hefty lease amount.” 

Kaur Singh, another farmer with 5 acres, said the lodging of paddy will result in discolouration of grain. Apart from it, the harvesting of crop will cost the farmers more now, he added. 

BKU Ekta Ugrahan leader Shangara Singh Mann said the state government should step in and extend a helping hand to the farmers in this hour of crisis. He said the government should carry out a survey of the crop loss and follow it up with awarding adequate compensation to the farmers.