Farmers in Punjab expect a bumper crop as an article in Chandigarh Tribune said. Following are excerpts from the article:

Punjab is set to achieve an all-time high mark of wheat production this year thanks to the Labour put in by the sturdy farmers. They hope to reap rich dividends from the golden grain this year.

Driving through the countryside one sees the wheat crop is in an excellent condition; the farmers who suffered heavy losses due to the unprecedented floods during the kharif 1988 are confident that they will make up the loss.

The prospects of rabi crops in general and wheat in particular are very bright as the weather during the season remained favorable right from sowing. The widespread rainfall in the last week of September, 1988 slightly delayed the sowing in the irrigated areas, but it provided excessive moisture in the rain fed areas. A wet spell during the last week of December and first week of January proved to be aboon for the standing crops sown under rain fed conditions. Experts at PAU’s Agricultural Meteorology Department say the weather during March was most favorable for the grain development. Rainfall in the second fortnight of March provided the required moisture to the wheat crops for normal growth in the barani areas.

The health of rabi crops such as wheat, pulses and oilseeds is excellent at this stage.

In Haryana some areas have done very well while others are soso. For instance in Rohtak district the farmer is likely to earn a marginal profit despite a bumper rabi crop in the district during the current season. The profit or loss in agriculture in many areas depends on the quantum of rain received and this has been rather spotty in Haryana over the past six months.

With their hard work paying off in higher income the farmers have mechanized almost all operations from sowing to harvesting. Even a small farmer with holding of five acres has a seed drill and thresher, despite small holdings they have succeeded in improving their staadard of living although nearly all are under debt. The majority of the farmers who were contacted to know their views on the prospects of wheat and crops have taken loans from the Land Mortgage Banks for the purchase of farm machinery, from Cooperatives for buying fertilizers and other inputs and from arhtias commission agents for domestic needs. But they are supplementing their income by taking up subsidiary activities such

dairies, . poultry and beekeeping.

They are keen to diversify their cropping patterns but are not ready to take risks about the new crops owing to uncertainty of marketing them.

The farmers complain of sale of spurious fertilizers and pesticides and the indifferent attitude of officials serving in the departments responsible for checking these products.

Farmers are also sore over the rampant corruption in the various departments of the State government. They cannot get anything done without making payment to harassment from police and the security forces. They are made to suffer in the name of so called “antiterrorist operations.” The farmers are taken to police stations and harassed for no fault of theirs. Mohinder Singh (60) a farmer of Hambran village near Ludhiana has six children including four sons and owns 10 acres of land. One son is in the Army and the other three help him farm. He says that his wheat crop, which has been sown in all his 10 acres is in good condition and he hopes to have a yield of 18 quintals per acre. He has improved his standard of living but does not have a refrigerator or a television. He owns a tractor and all the operations are mechanised and he has a thresher.

He is supplementing his income by maintaining four buffaloes and two crossbred cows. He supplies the milk plant at Ludhiana.

He is not happy with the wheat price of Rs 183 per quintal as the cost of cultivation has increased. He complains of sale of spurious fertilizers and weedicides.

Harpal Singh (50) of Bhair Rupa in Bathinda district owns 17 acres but has 14 acres contracted out. He has four sons, one in the army. They are maintaining a poultry farm also with 3000 chicks.

During kharif he sows cotton in area of 14 acres and paddy in another 14 acres. Besides he has sown sarson (mustard) this year. Overall crop prospects are good this year. His one son has passed matriculation examination and joined him in his work.

Harpal Singh purchased a tractor two years ago with a loan of Rs 1.15 lakh from the Land Mortgage Bank; he has returned only Rs 21,000 so far.

He wants that wheat price should not be less than Rs 200 per quintal.

Gurcharan Singh(31) and his elder brother Satwant Singh (42) of Guran village in Ludhiana district are happy. Gurcharan Singh works as a vaccinator in the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation besides looking after his six acre farm. He runs a poultry unit too. A graduate Gurcharan lives well and enjoys modern facilities like connection, refrigerator, TV and scooter. Satwant Singh an ex-Air Force man also farms six acres besides maintaining six buffaloes and three cross bred cows. The elder of his two sons is studying in the Industrial Training Institute, Ludhiana.

Dilbagh Singh (48) of Raikot in Ludhiana district has holding of five acres, He has two sons and a daughter. He supplements his income by maintaining five buffaloes and two crossbred cows. He is under debts to both the Government and the arhtia (commission agent). “We have not witnessed the prosperity of which we had dreamt,” he says.

Hakam Singh (45) of Raman village in Faridkot district owns 16 _ acres of land. He has two sons two daughters; both the son are working with him.

Besides sowing the heat he has sown sarson (mustard) in two acres this year. The crop conditions are good and be expects a yield of 18 quintals per acre.

He owes Rs 1.25 lakhs to the banks and the arhtias. He is maintaining seven buffaloes and sells to the milk plant at Moga.

Article extracted from this publication >>  May 12, 1989