FARMERS PLOUGH WHEAT CROP DAMAGED IN RAINFALL, GEAR UP FOR SUMMER PADDY
RUDRAPUR: Farmers of Bazpur and Sitarganj in Uttarakhand’s US Nagar district ploughed their standing wheat crop by tractors which was damaged by incessant rains and started preparations to sow summer paddy now.
US Nagar witnessed incessant rain in the first week of February, which caused water logging in the agricultural fields. Standing wheat plants flattened and drowned in waterlogged fields that led to rotting of the plants.
“I ploughed my wheat crop because it was not going to be profitable. Plants either had been destroyed or were leaning to the ground. Now I would sow summer paddy,” said Balwinder Singh, a farmer of Banskhera village under Bazpur tehsil.
Wheat, mustard and pea crops were damaged in several parts of the US Nagar district due to rains. As per horticulture department, 60,000 quintals of pea were destroyed in the district due to incessant rain in the first week of February.
Farmers of Banskhera village -- Bachchan Singh, Swarn Singh, Mukesh Gandhi, Sonu Sharma, and Pawan Sabbarwal -ploughed the wheat crop on around 50 acre on Saturday.
“I had sown wheat crop on 11 acre but crop on 8-acre of land destroyed due to incessant rain. Only crop on 3-acre is safe and in such a condition I had no option other than ploughing the field,” said Sukhdeep Singh.
Farmers said rain incurred ₹50,000 loss per acre. Government realises money from farmers on the pretext of insurance but does not compensate the farmers, they said.
Balwinder said, “We produce around 25 quintals of wheat on an acre of land. Loss was incurred by farmers to the tune of around ₹ 50,000 per acre.”
The farmers of Sitarganj too ploughed wheat crop to empty the field for new crops. All are getting ready for summer paddy.
“I ploughed wheat crop on 11 acre to empty the field as it had almost been destroyed due to incessant rain. Now, I will prepare a field for the production of summer paddy,” said Charan Singh of Turka Tisaur village in Sitarganj tehsil.
Summer paddy is sown in winter and harvested in June. Several farmers produce two crops -- summer and kharif paddy. The production of summer paddy consumes a lot of irrigated water, affecting underground water. Local administration advises farmers not to grow summer paddy to protect underground water and environment. AK Verma, chief agriculture officer, US Nagar, said, “We always advise farmers not to allow water logging in fields to avoid crop loss. Farmers have closed rainy nullahs in a bid to expand their field. Water-logging has become a serious problem in many areas of the district.” Government gives compensation when 33% of the crop is destroyed. Wheat crop of the district was destroyed up to 25%, so farmers won’t get compensation.