No festivity for Punjab farmers amid kharif crop shocker

This year’s Diwali may not spell cheer for thousands of farmers across Punjab, which is already grappling with an agrarian crisis.

With crops on around 4 lakh acres already lost during the recent floods, the state witnessed incessant post-monsoon rain, significantly impacting non-basmati paddy yield. Global economic uncertainty has also pushed the prices of the premium basmati rice down, hitting the growers hard. Cotton is also selling below the minimum support price (MSP). Moreover, there is little hope of generating income from the next crop in the wake of a severe DAP shortage.

“The chances of economic recovery in the near future are weak. We have had to take loans to make both ends meet after the standing paddy crop on 27 acres (25 of those taken on lease) was destroyed. There is no celebration for us this year as most families are unable to recover from the trauma of economic losses. Seeing our plight, the Jamal Wala Baba from Sirsa sent sweets and some goodies for every household. It is a kind gesture, but it reinforces our economic plight,” lamented Sikandar Singh, a farmer from Bhaini Ram Singh village in Fazilka.

Gurbakshish Singh, a farmer from Nabha, said fall in non-basmati yield by 5-8 quintal per acre and low basmati prices had also hit the farmers hard. “Last year, I sold PUSA basmati 1509 for Rs 3,300 per quintal, while it fetched only Rs 3,000 a quintal this year. The farmers who had taken land on lease have suffered huge losses,” he said.

Jaspal Singh of Matran village near Sangrur said, “Farmers like me took land on lease for Rs 70,000 per acre. Now the crop yield is low and the quality is not in accordance with the prescribed limits, leading to cut on MSP. We will have to pay the lease amount, though there is no earning. This will push farmers further into debt,” he said.

Farm leader Balbir Singh Rajewal said even cotton was selling below MSP and government agencies had not yet entered mandis and started buying cotton. “While everyone talks of diversification, there is no government support for crops other than paddy and wheat. As cotton growers have suffered losses, the area under the crop will shrink further, putting all crop diversification efforts to a naught,” he added.

Information available with The Tribune shows that till October 18, there was no government purchase of cotton and of the 1,03,360 quintals that had arrived in the mandis, 57,267 quintals were sold below the MSP.

Farmers are also circumspect of the prospects of the next wheat crop, especially in wake of the severe shortage of DAP through cooperative societies and its black marketing by private traders.

Kularan Cooperative Society president Darshan Singh said just one truckload of DAP reached their society, while private traders had managed to corner most of the fertiliser. “We get DAP at Rs 1350 per 50 kg bag from the society, but private traders are selling it to us at Rs 1,800-1,900 per bag, often as a bundled pack with some unwanted pesticide. At this time of economic crisis, there should be a way to rein in these unscrupulous dealers,” he added.