Inadequate canal water, bad weather delay cotton sowing in Malwa
Lack of canal water supply for irrigation and inclement weather conditions in the last two weeks have slowed sowing of cotton in the semi-arid Malwa region of southern Punjab.
The crop was sowed on nearly 70,000 hectares till Monday, 22% of this year’s target area of 3.25 lakh hectares, state agriculture officials said. The exercise is expected to be over by May 23 with a delay of eight days in the government’s sowing schedule.
Sowing on more than 12,000 hectares area in Mansa district was delayed due to the nonavailability of canal water, it is learnt.
Sharanjit Singh of Mansa’s Mann Khera village, who owns 24-acre land, said he was able to sow cotton on about 5 acres using tubewell.
“Groundwater is not of good quality in the Sardulgarh area and we depend on water supplied from the Bhakra canal. But the supply was suspended for over 14 days due to a breach in the canal and we are now left in the lurch. Delay in sowing will impact the cotton quality and the crop may be vulnerable to pest attack,” he said.
Pargat Singh, a cotton grower from Sangha village whose joint family has 22-acre land, said the delay in sowing has worried them.
“Agriculture experts say May 15 is the ideal time for sowing and we have already lost the golden time. The farmers were encouraged by last year’s good yield of 8-10 quintals per acre produce and the crop sale was also hassle-free with handsome rates offered. But this time inadequate electricity supply and lack of canal water worry us,” he added.
Mansa chief agriculture officer Manjit Singh said the Bhakra mainline had major damage near Fatehpur village and water in the channel is expected to be released tonight. “All villages are expected to get water in the next 24 hours,” he added.
Punjab agriculture deputy director for cotton Rajesh Kumar Raheja said the state’s target is to cover 3.25 lakh hectares under cotton this year, an increase of 74,000 hectares from the last season’s 2.25 lakh hectares.
Raheja said except Mansa no other district of Malwa belt had any irrigation issue for cotton sowing.
“In the last two weeks, cotton-growing districts witnessed cloudy weather. Farmers apprehend rainfall and re-sowing means more expenses. Climatic conditions slowed sowing which will be over in the next 10 days,” he said.
Groundwater is not of good quality in Sardulgarh and we depend on water supplied from the Bhakra canal. But the supply was suspended for over 14 days due to a breach in canal. SHARANJIT SINGH, Mansa