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Jalandhar : There is a growing inclination among the farmers of the state towards sowing of spring maize, although the Agriculture Department does not recommend its sowing. The main reason for this is that spring maize requires a lot of water and it takes many times more water than kharif maize. Despite this, farmers have sown spring maize on a larger scale this time compared to last year. According to the data of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, last year spring maize was sown in 61.21 lakh hectare area in Punjab, whereas this year it has been sown in 90.35 lakh hectare area. In this way, it has been sown in 28.14 lakh hectares more area than last year.
According to agriculture department officials, spring maize needs water every week as it is sown in February-March and harvested in June. In the month of May, maize becomes ripe and its peels start falling. Along with this, heat also reaches the body and it requires more water.
District Chief Agriculture Officer Dr. Jaswant Rai says that the maximum sowing of spring maize has been done in Jalandhar district. The main reason for this is that potato crop is sown here and farmers have planted spring maize after harvesting the potatoes.
Farmer Gurmeet Singh, resident of village Cholang in Jandiala area, says that he has sown this maize in about 35 acres. Regarding its high trend, farmer Gurumeet Singh said that last year, farmers got the price of wet maize at Rs 1,100 to 1,300 per quintal, which is used for silage (animal feed). He said farmers are also facing shortage of farm labor and maize does not require many workers to maintain, whereas watermelon and radish, on the contrary, require a lot of workers. This is the reason why potato producing farmers have given priority to spring maize this time. Gurumeet Singh said that due to not getting its MSP, farmers are afraid of selling the ripe crop, but due to no other option, farmers have cultivated more maize this time.
What do department directors say?
Director of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, Dr. Jaswant Singh says that the yield of spring maize is higher than that of Kharif maize. This maize is widely used for animal feed (silage). Director Dr. However, the department does not recommend spring sowing of maize as it requires a lot of water, Jaswant Singh said. Efforts are being made by the department to promote maize of Kharif season. For this work, a scheme has been sent to the Central Government so that special relief can be given to the farmers planting maize of Kharif season so that other farmers can also be encouraged towards the cultivation of this maize.
District wise area of spring maize in hectares in last two years
District 2022-23 2023-24
Amritsar 3.0 3.0
Barnala 1.0 1.5
Bathinda 0.0 0.0
Faridkot 4.0 0.0
Fatehgarh Sahib 3.5 3.8
Fazilka 0.0 0.0
Firozpur 0.6 0.1
Gurdaspur 0.3 0.1
Hoshiarpur 9.1 11.0
Jalandhar 6.5 21.9
Kapurthala 11.5 12.6
Ludhiana 11.1 16.0
Mansa 0.0 0.0
Moga 4.5 4.8
Mohali 0.4 0.4
Muktsar 0.4 0.4
Pathankot 0.0 0.0
Patiala 1.2 1.4
Ropar 0.7 1.3
Sangrur 1.9 3.9
sbs
city 1.5 2.1
Tarn Taran 1.0 6.5
Total 62.21 90.35
