Thread by @ramanmann1974

Thread

#Punjab #Farmers were encouraged to shift away from #bajra #pulses #oilseeds #chana & enter #wheat-#paddy cycle by a assured price mechanism policy; why not assure MSP for #pulses to Punjab farmers, which can cut 16,627 crore imports, reduce paddy acreage & paddy #straw ?

An example to show, how the shift from pulses in Punjab happened.
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In 1960-61, #pulses acreage in #Punjab was 9.03 lakh hectares with production of 7.09 lakh ton, but; in 2018-19 Kharif, it dropped to 7500 hectares with a production of 6200 tons

The per kg cost of pulse import increased from Rs 16.88 in 2006-07 to Rs 42.80 in 2016-17 (rise of 10%/year). If India were to continue to import large quantities of pulses, the unit cost of such imports is to increase for sure. Why not encourage Punjab farmers to grow pulses ?

By 2030, demand for #pulses=33 million ton

If we have to meet the req & avoid imports:

-Yields need to go up by 30% #seeds
or
-We can increase our pulses acreage, coupled with ways & means of enhancing price realizations to farmers #market #MSP #processing #grading (vill based)

Paddy was not a native crop of Punjab, but farmers were encouraged to grow paddy as India was not food sufficient. In Punjab, to grow 1 Kg of rice, 4,118 litres of water is required against 2,169 liters in West Bengal; this has messed up the ground water scenario in Punjab.

Punjab imports 94% of it's consumption, encouraging increase in #pulses by assuring Minimum Support Prices can b a game changer. Pulses use less fertilizer, fix nitrogen in the soil (improves soil health), needs less water; high time policy makers act towards crop diversification

Haryana Govt encourages #pulses & #EdibleOil in 7 districts, provides assistance of Rs 4,000/acre. In addition to this, farmers in Haryana, who shift away from #paddy to other less water consuming crops, are being provided assistance of Rs 7,000/acre. Why no such scheme in Punjab

Chhattisgarh farmers get an input subsidy of Rs 10,000/acre to cultivate some crops identified by the Govt other than paddy, including sugarcane, maize, soybean, pulses, oilseeds, etc. What stops the Punjab Govt to introduce such schemes for crop diversification @BhagwantMann ?

Low proportion of area under coarse grains & pulses also results in lower consumption. Take the case of #pulses, where their availability declined from 25.2 kg/capita to 17.5 kg/capita during 1961-2020. It has resulted in a decrease in protein intake of the avg Indian population.

73% irrigation in #Punjab is done by #Tubewells

No of Tubewells:-

Early 60's=50,000
2005=11.80 Lakh
2012=12 Lakh
2021=14.5 lakh

Total Blocks=138
Over-Exploited=110

👉Avg yearly rate of fall in #GroundWater= .49 meter
👉CGWB claims that Punjab will become a desert in 25 years.

#Fertiliser Use #Punjab

1960-61=500 ton
1970-71=2.13 Lakh metric Ton (after green revolution)
2019-20=21 LMT (Rabi season)

👉Rabi crop, mainly #wheat crop fertilizer consumption has increased to 4200 times in all these decades.
👉#Pesticides consumption is the highest in India.

Punjab can cater to demand of pulses, veg etc to the Middle Eastern countries; if @BhagwantMann Govt can explore these possibilities, & play the role of a facilitator, connecting farmers/FPO's, or if State can help in agregating produce, remove bottlenecks, we can see +ve results

High time, Punjab Govt in assistance with the Center, addresses this "clear & present" danger. #Farm Incomes have dipped on account of rise in input costs, farm #suicides r increasing, the next generation is, not only moving out of agriculture, but is moving out from the country.

@Anjuagnihotri1