Government fails to incentivise farmers

NEW DELHI: Despite best efforts and a exponential boost in investment in Rabi or winter sown crops in Rabi 2009 in order to make up for an over 11% drop in kharif output on account of the worst ever drought in 37 years, the government has failed to incentivise the farmer in boosting acreage under Rabi rice upward from 47.69 lakh hectares in Rabi 2008.

Acreage under winter rice was only 44. 42 lakh hectares, primarily on account of lower acreage in both AP and W Bengal, as apprehended by the farm ministry earlier.

The government expected the output of Boro rice in the north eastern regions, however, to go up compared to the previous year s production. Winter rice accoutns for around 12 m tonnes annually, boosting total yearly output to around 92 m tonnes each year.

Higher output in winter rice was expected to make up for a big drop in production last year. Last week, junior minister P V Thomas told Parliament that if need be, there could be a possibility of importing rice to meet domestic supply needs. Only a very good monsoon can ring in hopes of big production of the summer staple, paddy.

The IMD came out with its first stage forecast today, predicting normal monsoon rains this summer. Area under pulses so far has gone up by almost a million hectares this winter compared to the same period last year, the multi expert Crop Weather Watch Group was told.

The overall good news on pulses and wheat Pulses area is up by 8.75 lakh hectares to 147.42 lakh ha against only 138.68 lakh ha last Rabi, with gram or chana acreage going up to 89.35 lakh ha against only 83.60 lakh ha last year and urad acreage up to 10.85 lkah ha against only 8.92 lakh ha last year. Wheat acreage has also gone up by almost a million hectares from 286.84 lakh ha against 278.77 lakh ha last year.

However, no indications were given as to the quality of wheat following high temperatures in the recent past. The farm ministry said that any adverse impact on the wheat output on account of higher than normal temperatures on the wheat crop in the north was nullified by low night temperatures. However, the acreage for both oilseeds and coarse cereals have dropped markedly, the former from 101.39 lakh ha to only 97.40 lakh ha and the latter from 68.88 lakh ha to only 65.20 lakh ha.