Drop in crops prices worries farmers

Monday, 01/06/2015

http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/The_Tribune/

Fazilka : The continuous fall in prices of main crops, including 1,121 basmati paddy, Bt cotton, guar, and delay in the payment of sugarcane have left farmers bewildered. Sources said the fine variety of 1121 basmati paddy was cultivated in about 75,000 hectares last year in the district.

Two years ago, the paddy fetched Rs 4,000 to 4,500 per quintal. At the end of the previous season, the prices crashed down to about Rs 2,200-2,300 per quintal. Even traders, including rice mill owners, failed to make payments in time. “We have appealed to the farmers to sow traditional parmal (PR) variety of paddy, instead of basmati variety as they are not getting remunerative price of basmati due to fall in demand in the international market,” said Sriniwas Bihani, president of the Arhtiya Association, Fazilka. “I cultivated basmati paddy last year, but again switched to parmal variety due to prompt payment by the government agencies,” said Sachin of Behak Khas village.
Despite repeated demand by farmers, the government has not declared the MSP of basmati. The Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) recommends sowing of paddy from June 15 to July 15. The prices of cotton have also reduced from Rs 7,000 per quintal two years back to Rs 3,800-4,200 presently.

“The farmers are not able to realise the input cost due to low yield followed by low price of Rs 4,000 per quintal in this traditional cotton belt of northern region,” said Kuldeep Singh of Kamalwala village.

“The traditional cotton growers had also attracted to basmati paddy during the past few years due to its rising demand and high price but they are again on crossroads,” added Tilak Raj Maini, a farmer.

The guar crop has also witnessed slash in prices. It was sold at Rs 30,000 per quintal during the previous years, but the prices went down to Rs 4,800 per quintal.
Sugarcane has a different story. The Fazilka Central Cooperative Sugar Mill is yet to pay the due amount of Rs 24.51 crore to farmers for the sugarcane purchased last season. “We had ploughed sugarcane sowed recently as we have not been made the payment of sugar cane purchased by the sugar mill authorities last year,” said Dharmpal of Rampura village.

Chief Cane Development Officer Rajinder Saharan said the payment would be released soon. “Farmers are on cross roads. The government should come forward with a concrete crop policy so that farmers should be saved from total ruin”, said Parduman Kumar Beganwali, President, Bhartiya Kisan Union, District Fazilka unit.

He demanded minimum support price for basmati paddy on the pattern of parmal variety to keep in farmers intact with the basmati paddy, which consumes less water.

Sugar mill yet to pay due amount The Fazilka Central Cooperative Sugar Mill is yet to pay the due amount of Rs 24.51 crore to farmers for the sugarcane purchased last season. “We had ploughed sugarcane sowed recently as we have not been made the payment of sugar cane purchased by the sugar mill authorities last year,” said Dharmpal of Rampura village.