Untimely rain likely to affect paddy crop

Ferozepur, September 18, 2012: The intermittent rain throughout  last night has affected the standing paddy crop as witnessed on Ferozepur-Zira road near village Sher Khan about 13 KMs from Ferozepur.

 While talking to the resident of the village Darshan Singh said, “The intermittent rain during the last two days is definitely going to affect the yield from standing crop of paddy to the extent of 2 to 5 per cent.  However, the soil and crop tolerance is so weak that in case there are strong winds which may blow many swaths across fields and shelled standing crop on the ground and also make the blackish colour of the standing crop.”. 

Giving thanks to the Punjab Government, for the regularisation of the sowing and procurement schedule by it, the good quality of produce is brought in the market, he added.

On asking as to why the farmer is not switching over to diversification of crop, he said, the main reason behind this is irregular payments to the farmers for the sugarcane crops.  In case the government makes proper arrangements the marketing of products, there is no reason that the farmer may not shift to other crops which would rather help in making the land more fertile for the next crop. 

Another progressive farmer of the village, Gurdip Singh, former director of Markfed when contacted repeated the same story of diversification.  He, however, added that the untimely rain during the last two days is likely to affect the standing crop and in case there is no sunny day to dry up the standing water in the fields, it has to be pumped out to save the crop.

Regarding marketing, he quoted the instance that during the last year, good number of farmers had taken the produce of chilies and because of non-marketing by the government at the reasonable rates, the same were available for Rs.2 to Rs.3 per kg.  Whereas, during the current year, only few farmers had gone for produce of chilly and due to less production, it is now available at Rs.35 per kg., he added.  

On pointing out about the power supplies, former director said, no doubt the Punjab Government understanding the gravity of power crisis being faced by the country, has banned the use of air-conditioners in its offices and besides rescheduling the time of the offices to decrease the load of power consumption, yet the power supplies have not been made regular and now the crop is standing.  It would have been more appropriate if the regular supplies are made to the progressive farmers by charging the bills and free power supply should only to the small farmers.