Kalalwala (Bathinda), August 17
On the one hand, the agriculture department is doing its best to promote diversification of crops and on the other, deficit rainfall is threatening to affect this movement meant to offset losses incurred by farmers who mostly grow paddy and cotton.
After the two major crops of the belt—cotton and paddy— deficit rainfall is set to show its effect on other diversified crops also.
During a random visit to a large field where organic cultivation of peanuts has been undertaken in this sleepy village near the Haryana border, a farmer expressed his plight. The farmer’s family had earlier sown peanuts in six acres but motivated by the yield, this time they covered a huge chunk of 26 acres under the crop.
“We took the initiative to cultivate peanut in a large area but it seems that nature will adversely affect us,” said Harwinder Singh, the farmer.
He said that the crop needed to be watered four-five times during the season before getting ready. He maintained that in the absence of rainfall, they had to depend upon groundwater which was of poor quality. “We know that the groundwater will harm the fertility of the soil but we have no alternative,” he said.
Speaking further, he said, “It is not the only reason to worry about as the motor of the tube well consumes too much diesel, it costs about Rs100 per hour. Despite spending so much, there is no certainty that the crop can be saved.”
A helper of the farmer, watering the peanut plants, said, “If nature does not show mercy through good rainfall within a fortnight, the yield will reduce to half the previous year.
When asked about the canal water, he pointed at the choked distributary channel and said, “The agriculture department just motivates up to adopt such rare crops but there is lack of proper attention. The canal department releases water in a rationed way—eight minutes per acre, after seven days. Further, these kuccha channels seep more than one-third of the total water.”
“It seems that the decision to sow peanuts will leave us disappointed,” said Harwinder indicating that the deficit rainfall might hit peanut production taking it the paddy and cotton way.
On the one hand, the agriculture department is doing its best to promote diversification of crops and on the other, deficit rainfall is threatening to affect this movement meant to offset losses incurred by farmers who mostly grow paddy and cotton.
After the two major crops of the belt—cotton and paddy— deficit rainfall is set to show its effect on other diversified crops also.
During a random visit to a large field where organic cultivation of peanuts has been undertaken in this sleepy village near the Haryana border, a farmer expressed his plight. The farmer’s family had earlier sown peanuts in six acres but motivated by the yield, this time they covered a huge chunk of 26 acres under the crop.
“We took the initiative to cultivate peanut in a large area but it seems that nature will adversely affect us,” said Harwinder Singh, the farmer.
He said that the crop needed to be watered four-five times during the season before getting ready. He maintained that in the absence of rainfall, they had to depend upon groundwater which was of poor quality. “We know that the groundwater will harm the fertility of the soil but we have no alternative,” he said.
Speaking further, he said, “It is not the only reason to worry about as the motor of the tube well consumes too much diesel, it costs about Rs100 per hour. Despite spending so much, there is no certainty that the crop can be saved.”
A helper of the farmer, watering the peanut plants, said, “If nature does not show mercy through good rainfall within a fortnight, the yield will reduce to half the previous year.
When asked about the canal water, he pointed at the choked distributary channel and said, “The agriculture department just motivates up to adopt such rare crops but there is lack of proper attention. The canal department releases water in a rationed way—eight minutes per acre, after seven days. Further, these kuccha channels seep more than one-third of the total water.”
“It seems that the decision to sow peanuts will leave us disappointed,” said Harwinder indicating that the deficit rainfall might hit peanut production taking it the paddy and cotton way.
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