Haryana farmers demand more power supply to nurture paddy
The paddy growers are facing tough time due to alleged insufficient electricity supply to farm sector and are demanding the same from the government.
As the paddy transplantation officially started on June 15, most of the farmers in Karnal, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra and Kaithal districts transplanted paddy but now they are finding it difficult to nurture the crop without sufficient water.
“I had transplanted paddy in six acres last week following a rainfall but now the crop is dying due to lack of water and we do not have enough electricity supply to irrigate the crop everyday,” said a farmer, Desh Raj, of Yunishpur village of Karnal district.
Another reason of worry for the farmers is the crop that could not be transplanted as those paddy saplings are maturing but cannot be transplanted without rain or sufficient water supply.
“Tubewells do not have enough water and we need heavy rainfall to prepare the fields for the transplantation,” said farmer Ram Singh, who owns three acres and has not started translation yet.
COSTLY DIESEL ADDING TO WOES
Meanwhile, the hike in diesel prices has also added to the woes of the farmers, who have to spend more to pump out water with diesel pumps.
“Diesel is around Rs 69 per litre and the generator costs Rs 450 per hour and most of the farmers cannot afford it. We need at least 12 hours electricity everyday and are getting eight hours only,” said another farmer Nirmal Singh of Indri of Karnal.
However, agriculture department officials asked the farmers to divide the crops into two-three categories of early and lateral varieties.
Officials of state agriculture department said the farmers should not be worried. “The farmers should prepare a plan of irrigation as per the need of the crop and there is no need to keep the crops under water, they should irrigate it regularly,” said Karam Chand, deputy director Haryana agriculture department.
ALTERNATIVE CROPS NOT PROFITABLE
Meanwhile, though the government is spending crores to encourage farmers to go for alternate crops by breaking the traditional wheat-paddy cycle, the farmers are not ready to adopt it.
“Bajra, Jowar and Maize are the only alternatives to paddy, but these crops are not profitable in its comparison as they yield Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 per acre while the production cost is between Rs 4,000 and Rs 5,000. Besides , these are even difficult to sell in the market. On the other hand, paddy yields around Rs 50,000 per acre in a production cost of Rs 15,000 per acre,” said a farmer.