Punjab CM lauds farmers for crop diversification

CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday lauded the state’s farmers for successful diversification of nearly 2.28 lakh hectares area out of the traditional paddy cultivation cycle in the current kharif sowing season.

The success of the farmers in their diversification efforts, even amid the Covid-19 pandemic, has also been recognised by the Ministry of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmer’s Welfare, Government of India. The diversification across 2.28 lakh hectares will help save nearly 2.7 billion cubic metres of ground water and about Rs 200 crore power consumption in the state, thus supporting the Punjab government’s efforts to preserve the scarce water resources, said Captain Amarinder.

While reviewing the sowing activities in the state on Monday, the Chief Minister said that despite migratory labour shortage in the ongoing kharif season, the state has not only completed its kharif sowing but has also continued to fulfil its objective of diversification even in these difficult times.

 The CM directed the ACS Development to accord top priority to diversification of agriculture, particularly in the light of the diminishing returns on farmer’s produce. ACS Development Anirudh Tiwari informed the CM that Basmati sowing has been completed across 6.5 lakh hectares, against 6.3 lakh hectares last year. It is expected that acreage under Basmati will touch about 6.75 to 7 lakh hectares in Punjab this year.