Punjab introduces crop diversification program to handle water, labour crisis amid pandemic

The Punjab government has introduced the Crop Diversification Programme to preserve water resources as well as deal with the manpower shortage that has erupted due to migrant labourers returning back home. The initiative has seen an area of about 12.5 lakh acres brought under cotton cultivation, which was 9.7 lakh acres last year. The diversification is aimed at helping to save the precious natural resources of the state i.e. water, among other things.

Chandigarh:COVID-19 spread has resulted in the migration of labourers to their native places and resulting in mild scarcity of manpower before paddy sowing in Punjab.

To handle the situation and preserve water resources Punjab government introduced the Crop Diversification Programme. It is initiated by the Punjab Agriculture Department and has received good response from farmers with the state nearly accomplishing its goal to bring an area of 12.5 lakh acres under cotton cultivation, which was 9.7 lakh acres last year. Diversification of the cropping pattern away from paddy helps to save the precious natural resources of the state i.e. water, helps improve soil fertility, avoid winter stubble burning and thus preserve and improve the environment in a very substantial way. Punjab had recorded sowing of cotton over an area of 10 lakh acres so far.

As per information, Agriculture Department has arrangement of fertilizer and hybrid seeds of BT Cotton well in advance to ensure seamless sowing of the cotton crop across the state amid curfew/ lockdown due to COVID-19. Cotton was the second major traditional crop of Southern Punjab due to which the Malwa belt of Punjabi state was known as its ‘Cotton Belt’.

The Additional Chief Secretary Vishawjit Khanna said in the districts of Malwa belt cotton sowing had already crossed the mark of 10 lakh acres. He said that the last year target of 9.80 lakh acres (3.92 lakh hectares) was enhanced to 12.5 lakh acres (5 lakh hectares) this year, which is expected to be completed in the first week of June. He also informed that the sowing had been over by the last week of May during previous seasons but would be completed a bit later this year as wheat harvesting started only on May 15 this year with a delay of two weeks amid COVID-19 restrictions.

Giving details of cotton sowing in the districts, Khanna said that so far Bathinda district had recorded maximum sowing of 3.39 lakh acres followed by Fazilka with 2.38 lakh acres and 2.10 lakh acres in Mansa. He said that in Sri Muktsar Sahib 2.02 lakh acres area was under cotton cultivation till date while Sangrur recorded 7800 acres, Faridkot 5800 acres, Barnala 1870 acres and 1257 acres in Moga district.

It may be recalled that 6.62 lakh acres was brought under cotton cultivation during 2018, followed by 9.7 lakh acres in 2019. Subsequently, the Agriculture Department has now further planned to enhance the area under cotton cultivation from 9.7 lakh acres to 12.5 lakh acres.

The department has also coordinated with the Cotton Corporation of India(CCI) to buy last season’s remaining cotton produce from farmers at the assured MSP and for this 19 markets have already been made operational in the cotton belt. The CCI has also assured its support for the purchase of Cotton during next season.

The ACS said that the Agriculture Department had already started a vigorous campaign to remove weeds (host plants of whitefly) from vacant plots, roadside, open grounds with the help of line departments.

Apart from cotton, state govt is also focusing on maize crop. The state has decided to double the area under cultivation of Maize. Presently it is 3.95 lakh acre and govt plans to increase it to 7.41 lakh acre. Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had instructed the Agriculture department to ensure supply of adequate quality and quantity of seeds to farmers.