LAHORE: Irked by the increasing trend of having two rice crops in a season in Punjab, both the public sector and progressive farmers have stressed the need for discouraging this trend being a water-guzzling crop.
Stakeholders are even proposing to enact legislation to restrict transplanting time to allow one rice crop in a season and transplanting within the given period.
Rice is an important food as well as a cash crop. It is the second main staple food crop after wheat and the second major exportable commodity after cotton. It contributes 3.5 percent of value added in agriculture and 0.7 percent in GDP.
During the last few years, production of coarse types is increasing. During 2020-21, the crop was cultivated on 3,335 thousand hectares, reflecting an increase 9.9 percent as compared to last year’s sown area of 3,034 thousand hectares. The current year witnessed a record production growth of 13.6 percent to 8.419 million tonnes against 7.414 million tonnes last year.
The Punjab Agriculture Department (PAD) sources told Business Recorder that rice crop is traditionally planted in this region to harvest monsoon and rainy season (June-September), therefore Basmati is dominant variety in Punjab. However, recommended water requirement in normal season is 40 acre-inches, but in hot and dry environment, this requirement can increase further and one-acre inch is equal to 102,790 liters.
They said that increasing trend of having two crops in a season is also against the government policies, where, a huge sum is spent on water efficient management schemes. Significant fall of underground water is also a challenge for Punjab’s agriculture. They said that it is being contemplated to restrict this trend by taking lead from the neighbouring country where rice plantation period has been restricted through legislation.
Rice Research & Development Board (RR&D) Punjab, Shahzad Ali Malik while talking about this trend said this year many farmers have opted for two rice crops on trial. First is of early maturing hybrid rice and second of Basmati. Lot depends upon the outcome at harvest time. “If successful it will definitely give boost to rice production and increase farmer’s income. However, he said it certainly should be discouraged but who will make farmers understand this if this trend catches on,” he added.
Crop Reporting Services (CRS) sources admitted that having two rice crops trend is in, especially, in Gujranwala and Khanewal areas but at the same time said that it is almost 1 percent of the total rice production and continuation of this trend relies on its commercial success.
Aamer Hayat Bhandara a climate change advocate and progressive farmer from Pakpattan said every human should be careful about it we Pakistanis are running desperately short of water and we are in fact exporting our water in form of rice and sugar. He said as climate change activist, he strongly opposes all the water intensive and carbon emitting crop.
Hamid Malik, a consultant said that growing two rice crops (presently being practiced in Kharif season) is a healthy, economical and viable option. Areas like Sheikhupura, Naushehra Virkan, Khankah Dogran, Doaaba of Hafizabad, Alipur Chathha, Nankana Sahib, Kanganpur, Deepalpur already have a practice of having a short duration non Basmati and the Basmati crop. With the adoption of Hybrid seeds it has become more economical for growers. This practice is also prevalent in Sindh (Badin, Tando Muhammad Khan, and Golarchi), upper Sindh Kasmore, Kandhkot and Usta Muhammad of Balochistan.
However, he said that disadvantage of this trend is that early short duration Rice crop is down in Early/mid April & needs huge water, 4200 litre water for 1 kg rice.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
Comments
Comments are closed.