Official figures claim that total waterlogged area in Muktsar district alone is 30,000 hectares. Muktsar district has the largest area affected by water-logging, while neighbouring areas of Moga and Bathinda too have suffered, though marginally. Besides, the CACP has recommended Rs 1,050 MSP for paddy.
While the Centre is still deliberating on this MSP, Harbans Singh, a farmer from Moga, is confident of the fact the Union government wants them grow paddy, so that the foodgrain stocks can be replenished. “And we are hopeful that MSP for rice will also be good this year, which will motivate farmers to grow paddy.”
The announcement of MSP is expected to come in May. Ruldu Singh, a farmer from Fardikot, adds, “We have little reason to grow cotton this year as mealy bug has eaten into almost 25 per cent of our crop. Besides, BT cotton is only bollworm resistant. It is more lucrative to grow paddy.”
BS Sidhu, Director, Agriculture, Punjab, says, “No doubt, farmers decide what to sow after the MSP is declared. The economic disparity between paddy and cotton is obvious, but then the ground reality is that paddy has disturbed the ecological balance. In Muktsar, we have no option as this area faces water-logging. But for other areas, I will still suggest farmers to wait and watch.”