Punjab plans to switch from paddy to maize cultivation

Punjab’s Agriculture Department has launched a campaign to bring 2 lakh hectares of land under maize cultivation up from the current 1.08 hectares. The department hopes that it will lead to production of 7,60,000 metric tonnes of maize. The Punjab Agriculture Department has also launched a programme to compensate some farmers in paddy dependent districts who will switch over from paddy to maize.

The department believes that this transformation would also help arrest the problem of burning paddy stubble said Dr J S Chawla, Principal Maize Breeder & In charge - Maize Section PAU while addressing farmers at the Kisan Goshthi on Cultivation of Maize in Punjab: Status, Challenges & Opportunities at the CII Agro & Food Tech 2020 organised over virtual platform.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) aims at management of pests through a combination of techniques such as chemical, biological, new cropping system, modification of cultural practices, use of resistant varieties and through mechanical methods. The major pests and IPM is described by Dr Jawala Jindal, Senior Entomologist (Maize) PAU

Mr. Gurpreet Bhathal, Director Sales- Seeds (South Asia), Corteva Agriscience informed about Importance of Crop Diversification, Major Challenges in Corn Cultivation, Corn crop opportunity in Punjab basis –usage (Shifting from Rice to Corn) and Corn Silage (an ocean of opportunities) at the CII Agro & Food Tech 2020 organised over virtual platform. The Kisan Goshthi was attended by over 300 farmers from across the districts of Punjab.

Sharing the perspective of the farmers, Mr Joginder Singh Seh, a Farmer from Jalandhar Punjab stated that unlike wheat and paddy, crops like maize which have a Minimum Support Price (MSP) are not backed by bodies like the Food Corporation of India, thus are being sold much below the MSP in Punjab. The situation is no different for maize, as its MSP is Rs 1,850 per quintal but farmers are getting only between Rs 700 to Rs 1,000 per quintal. Around 6 lakh tonnes of Maize is grown in the state in 1.60 lakh hectares of area across the state mainly in Doaba.

Mr Malwinder Singh Malhi, Project Manager - Punjab, Syngenta Foundation India underlined the importance of Market Linkages of Agri-Produce Cover, How Agri Produce Marketing needs a structure, how we overcome from Challenges while selling the commodity and How Market Linkage archetype is easiest archetype for seller & buyer.