Tough time ahead for paddy farmers
Saturday, 28/07/2012
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120728/punjab.htm#6
In the wake of deficit rainfall this monsoon, farmers are a worried lot as they would not be able to irrigate their fields as the water level in the district has gone down considerably.
The district had so far received 57 per cent less rain as compared to last year. The district had received 230 mm rainfall during the previous monsoon season, while it was only 100 mm recorded so far.
Farmers mostly depend on groundwater in the absence of proper rainfall during monsoon seasons. Less rainfall has also resulted in depletion of groundwater level in the area. This would affect the paddy production as the crop has been attacked by various diseases in view of less rainfall.
District Agriculture Officer Kuldeep Singh Josan said in view of the weak monsoon, they were expecting about 57 per cent less rainfall this season.
“After the monsoon season, crops are attacked by termites and other bacteria, which will affect the paddy production,” he said, adding that farmers would have to spend more on insecticides which would further reduce their profit margins.
Josan said farmers in the region had been spending lakhs on installing submersible pumps or tubewells in their fields to draw groundwater to irrigate their fields. “But these are also non-functional as the state is facing acute power shortage and now the farmers are totally dependent on rain,” he said.
He said they had been advising farmers to save water besides organizing camps and seminars for them to go in for diversification of crops, which required less water and gives better remuneration. “But, farmers in the region still do not want to change the crop pattern and going in for producing traditional crops like, wheat, paddy and maize,” he said.
