Focus on enhancing farmers’ income, Capt tells Agri Dept

Tuesday, 04/04/2017

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/focus-on-enhancing-farmers-income-capt-tells-agri-dept/386773.html

Chandigarh : The Congress government today asked the Agriculture Department to come out with a blueprint of the farm policy with a focus on enhancing farmers’ income.

Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh along with farm experts will review the draft policy at Punjab Agriculture University (PAU), Ludhiana, before formulating policies.

Issuing directions in this regard at a review meeting of the Agriculture Department here today, the CM felt the need to move away from the wheat-paddy cycle by increasing the area under BT Cotton, especially in the Malwa region.

As the cotton sowing season set to begin later this month, the department has been asked to increase the area under cotton from 2.56 lakh hectares in the 2016-17 to 4 lakh hectares. In 2015-216, it was 4.5 lakh hectares.

Dr Baldev Singh Dhillon, Vice Chancellor, PAU, who was also present in the meeting, was asked to introduce better quality Egyptian and Australian cotton varieties to enhance the profitability of the farmers.

Help for cotton growers

The department has been asked to reach out to 1,500 villages to educate the farmers and create awareness about the threat of whitefly. In wake of attack by whitefly due to delayed sowing over the last two years, the officials were asked to ensure that farmers got quality seeds at the right time, spurious cotton seeds did not enter the market and a regular supply of canal water and power from April 15.

A top functionary said the department would coordinate with Haryana to ensure that the approved varieties of seeds from 33 registered dealers were sold to the farmers and strict action be taken against those selling spurious pesticides.

The authorities have been told explore the possibility of tying up with an existing commodities exchange or set up their own exchange for future trading of commodities like potato and cotton to ensure guaranteed sale of farm produce

The CM will write to PM to seek deficiency price support from the Centre to compensate the farmers for the loss incurred as a result of the difference between the market price and the MSP of maize.

Loan defaulter jumps before train

Faridkot: A 32-year-old farmer of Ghugiana village in Faridkot district allegedly committed suicide by jumping before a train near Nanaksar Basti in the district on Monday. Owner of two acres of agricultural land, Gurbhaj Singh ended his life after the employees of a private financial institution took away the motorcycle he had bought under a hire-purchase agreement. Gurbhaj had defaulted on the repayment of a loan. The police are investigating the incident.