Govt fails to come up with sops for basmati cultivation

PATIALA: With basmati sowing season is going to start from July 1, interested farmers continue to be in a dilemma for the Centre as well as the state government have failed to assure them marketing options and minimum support price so far.

The state government though has been exhorting the farmers to go for Basmati cultivation this season.

As per an estimate, the state agriculture department has been expecting around 6-lakh hectares under basmati cultivation this kharif season against last season’s 4.5- lakh hectares.

Agriculture economists say if the government wanted to promote basmati cultivation in the region, it should have provided farmers with best marketing options and minimum support prices, besides coming up with hybrid and refined varieties meeting the international standards.

It seems the Centre is not declaring MSP thinking that farmers may start growing basmati ignoring other varieties, which can threaten food security S ATNAM SINGH BHERU president, Consortium of Indian Farmers’ Association

Kesar Singh Bhangu, an agriculture economist at Punjabi University, said in absence of fixed MSP, marketing options and quality seeds, it would be very difficult for the farmers to opt for basmasti instead of traditional paddy varieties.

Basmati varieties are generally sown in July and consume less water and mature early, ultimately reducing the input costs for farmers.

Traditional paddy varieties take 160-170 days to mature, besides requiring more water. Basmati proves a lucrative proposition for farmers as they get Rs 2,300-2,400 per quintal for basmati varieties against Rs 1,350 for non-basmati varieties.

According to information, government agencies don’t procure basmati, and local traders and private agencies fix rates on their own.

The s t at e government has already submitted a Rs 7,500- crore action plan for crop diversification to the union agriculture ministry for approval.

Consortium of Indian Farmers’ Association president Satnam Singh Bheru said all farmer unions had been pressing Centre’s Agricultural Prices and cost Commission to fix Rs 2,400 per quintal as MSP and assurance that government agencies would procure basmati.

“It seems that Centre doesn’t declare MSP for basmati thinking farmers may start growing basmati ignoring traditional varieties, which can pose a serious threat to food security of the country,” he said.