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| AGRICULTURE TRIBUNE | Monday, January 15, 2001, Chandigarh, India |
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Cattle project: learning from past
lapses WB-aided irrigation scheme
abandoned
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Indian gur gets global
glory INDIA is the largest producer of sugar in the world. Sugar is the second largest industry in the country after textiles. Among the sugar-yielding crops like sugarcane, sugarbeat, palms and sorghum, sugarcane is the most important. It being a commercial crop, needs to be handled in such a way that it meet the requirements of the industry, besides giving high returns to the farmers. Sugarcane is grown under diverse conditions on about 4.1 million hectares encompassing areas of Tamil Nadu in the South, Punjab in the North, Gujarat in the West and Assam and Nagaland in the East. However, 90 per cent of its area and production is in eight states — Bihar, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh accounts for 51 per cent of area and 46 per cent production of the country. During the past five decades though sugarcane production has increased more than two-fold, the sugar recovery has not shown any upward trend. It has always been hovering around 10 per cent. Currently, on an average 47 per cent of sugarcane is utilised for sugar production and about 40 per cent for gur and khandsari. But at present, the Indian sugar industry is facing a tough competition in the international markets. The cost of sugar production in India is about 30 per cent higher than the international market price. Sugar and its by-products play now a pivotal role in our agro-industrial economy and share 2 per cent of the gross domestic product.
In the changed global scenario, however, the sugar industry has a bleak future. It essentially, therefore, necessitates a rethink of the judicious use of our sugarcane cultivation. Before studying the economics of sugarcane cultivation in the context of immediate future demand, let us look into the projections of sweetener requirement vis-a-vis sugarcane and sugar production in India from the following table. The scientists have now proved that the intake of sugar is injurious to health while consumption of gur is essential for good health. Hundred gm of gur contains 0.4 gm protein, 0.1 gm fat, 80 mg calcium, 40 mg phosphorus, 11.4 mg iron, 0.6 mg to 1 gm minerals, 168 mg carotene, 0.02 mg thymum., 0.05 mg vitamin C and 383 kilo calorie energy in the form of carbohydrates. In contrast, except carbohydrates all valuable vitamins and minerals, etc are missing from sugar. While gur has medicinal values, sugar leads to cancer, heart attack, obesity and phyorrhoe. The diet atlas of India reveals that in the case of sugar and jaggery, Punjab and Haryana top the list — on an average 85 gm is consumed per day per adult. West Bengal and Maharashtra come next with 40 gm each. In rest of the states consumption level of sugar, etc is very poor. However, the most unsatisfactory feature is that intake of jaggery declined considerably among the agricultural labourers when they started receiving wages in cash instead of traditional wages in kind and food. As a result of inadequate jaggery consumption, there is poor development of physique of the agricultural labourers and their working efficiency has deteriorated. Now India should concentrate on gur production instead of sugar. Due to heavy competition for food, fibre and oilseeds, there is little scope for increase in the area under sugarcane to meet the increasing demand of gur. Therefore, the only alternative left is to increase the productivity of sugarcane and gur by adopting efficient management practices for sugarcane cultivation. The average yield of sugarcane in different states during 1997-98 is given below.
Research and development efforts properly organised should help improve the yield levels throughout the country. There is more scope in this regard in the North than in the. South target yield level would be 75 tonnes per hectare in the North and 100 tonnes per hectare in the South. Varieties have to be bred for gur for highest possuble gur recovery. “Gur gur reha, chela sakkar ho giya” goes the old saying but sugar has lagged far behind. Gur has always got respect in Ayurveda. The usefulness of it has now been recognised at the international level. Kudos to our gur as it has been branded as “millennium gur’ and is in great demand in 23 countries, including the USA, Japan, Canada, Hong Kong, Germany, etc. In the recently concluded 88th India science congress in New Delhi, the scientists impressed upon the use of new technology integrating the traditional knowledge in the preparation of gur. This will move India from the green to rainbow revolution. The Dr Jaswant Singh of India Institute of Sugarcane Research has revealed that gur is being transformed into chocolate, liquid gur, and granulated gur for export. The technology of liquid gur has been developed at the Regional Sugarcane and Jaggery Research Institute, Kholapur, Granulated gur is manufactured at the Regional Research Station, Anaukpalli. Gur cubes would soon take the place of sugar cubes in starred hotels. This is a welcome sign for the oppressed peasantry of the country. |
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Cattle project: learning from past
lapses IN Punjab a prestigious national project for cattle and buffalo has recently taken a stride. This Rs 37-crore centrally sponsored project aims at providing high quality frozen semen to all the veterinary institutions in the state. Quantitatively and qualitatively improved artificial insemination service to the dairy farmers at their doorstep is insured under this project. A salient feature of this project is efficient production of calf and milk. Nothing in this project is mentioned about the frightening speed with which the cattle population is increasing. Similarly the disposal of the rendered stray animals has not been taken care of in spite of the fact that increase in cattle population is disproportionate to the feed and fodder resources. The fodder problem is liable to be aggravated in the coming years which will mar the achievements made on the production side. Every year more than 40 lakh cows and buffaloes are added to the existing population. The earlier project of this nature had known the pangs of being at the mercy of ineffectual management, semi-government/private firms (fertilisers factories, Philips India) and improperly trained staff. Upsets were the rules in the previous years. Stock-taking of ups and downs over this period will guide the management in its march ahead. Experienced-based suggestions and comments on any such project should become the most valuable asset, the most powerful weapon and the key to success. The five pillars of this gigantic cattle development project are genetically superior bulls, well-equipped laboratory, seasoned befittingly qualified vets, well-trained inseminators and liquid nitrogen (LN2). The availability and off and on needed replacement of superior breed bulls has always remained a problem. These bulls need congenial management and protection from diseases. It is on records that semen could not be collected for months together from bulls which suffered from foot and mouth and blood protozoon diseases. The feeding and heeding is entrusted to employees lacking dedication and required willingness. The semen donating bulls are extra sensitive to mismanagement. The department never considered any incentives for these employees to insure better care of bulls. The posting of befitting vets at the semen centres of the project has never attracted the due attention of the government. It is on record that vets having specific training from abroad in semenology remained posted at stations where their training and skill were not utilised. On the contrary, vets with least experience were entrusted with the work of semen processing. Every vet and pharmacist can not be a good inseminator. Mere obtaining 10 to 15 days’ training does not suffice. Depositing semen at the particular site in the uterus involves a lot of skill and training. There was a time in the distant past when the work of such breeding projects was entrusted to a separate wing of the department under the name of key village scheme. Vets and livestock assistants having aptitude and training were entrusted with the job of semen processing and artificial insemination. The working was fully monitored. There was a system to physically verify the calves born. This is all a history in the present cattle project where all vets and pharmacists are required to do the artificial insemination work. It is pity that even class IV employees do not hesitate to do this job. Nothing in a cattle project is more important than liquid nitrogen (LN). The project comes to a grinding halt if the supply of LN is erratic. At all stages from semen deep freezing, storage, distribution to just before artificial insemination, the LN is indispensable. In normal course, LN is manufactured in departmentally managed plants or in the event of their failure from semi-government fertiliser factories. Both these sources have not been able to cater to the needs of the project. During my tenure in the department, I have seen many a time the processing of semen and insemination work being suspended for want of LN supply. It is also on record that at one of the semen stations, imported semen doses worth thousands got destroyed for want of LN. An LN plant at Verka had to be condemned for want of suitable care and timely availability of engineers and spare parts. I understand that the department has even now not made foolproof arrangements for the supply of LN without which the cattle project is a dummy. The department has supplied to each institution a portable LN 2 litres capacity container for artificial insemination at dairy farmers’ doorstep. Only time will tell the practical utility of such containers as these need super care to avoid evaporation and frequent refilling. It is practically not possible to replace these with large containers. It will in the fitness of things to learn from the past mistakes, lapses and derelictions and handle the costly cattle project with grit and determination. It is unwise to allow the set-up of the cattle project to be handled by officials lacking aptitude, innovation and perseverance and befitting qualifications (training, etc). |
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WB-aided irrigation scheme
abandoned A SPRINKLER irrigation scheme executed in Bhiwani district of Haryana at a cost of Rs 3.42 crore was abandoned as the scheme was implemented without finding out the response of the farmers for its maintenance. The scheme for the installation of 100 sprinklers under the World Bank-aided irrigation project was prepared for Bhiwani district by the Project Division No II, Ambala and approved by the Financial Commissioner and Secretary, Irrigation and Power Department, at an estimated cost of Rs 5.23 crore for irrigating 4100 hectares of land. A sum of Rs 3.45 crore was spent on the scheme up to March, 1992, on the cost of equipment, erection of independent electric feeder line and construction of pump-cum-attendant rooms, etc., for 79 sets installed between 1987 and 1990 for irrigating 3239 hectares. The project provided for the formation of sprinkler irrigation associations (SIAs) to enhance coordination and cooperation among farmers as per requirements of the World Bank. The government, therefore, decided in March, 1992, to transfer the running and maintenance of uninstalled 21 sprinklers to the farmers by entering into agreements with them. The existing 79 sprinklers being maintained by the department were also to be covered under this decision. To implement the decision, the farmers were to form SIAs and get them registered with the Registrar, Cooperative Societies. The maintenance cost of the sets so transferred for first two years from the date of installation was to be borne by the government. A test-check of records of the Executive Engineer (EE). Lift Water Services (Mechanical) Division, Bhiwani, and subsequent enquiry (July, 1998) revealed that only six SIAs could be formed by the farmers and six sprinkling sets (costing Rs 26.24 lakh) out of 79 sets were transferred to them (July, 1992). The department continued running and maintenance of 73 sprinkling sets from 1992-93 to 1996-97 and Rs 41 lakh was spent on them. Since the farmers were unwilling to form SIAs, the power supply to the sprinklers was disconnected in April, 1997, and material taken to store. The remaining 21 sprinklers valuing at Rs 23 lakh were also not installed and remained unused. Thus, the scheme failed as it was ill-planned and the feasibility of running the scheme through SIAs was not considered before implementation. Ultimately the scheme had to be abandoned and Rs 3.42 crore spent on the scheme was wasted. In another case unsystematic execution of silt clearance in the Western Jamuna Canal between two control points resulted in unfruitful expenditure of Rs 76.59 lakh. Under the specifications the clearance of silt, which may be deposited in the channel or drain, shall be taken up in a systematic way, such clearances being carried out in long lengths. Work of silt clearances between two control points of a channel shall be completed during one closure to avoid re-silting. Continued deposit of sand in the Western Jamuna Canal (WJC) main branch reduced the designed section resulting in the reduction of the capacity of the canal. For maintaining the minimum pond level of 7’-6” an estimate for silt clearance of the WJC main branch between two control points (Picholia and Munak head regulators) was prepared in haste without ascertaining the work involved. The estimate was sanctioned within a period of seven days by the Chief Engineer (CE), IB, for Rs 64.78 lakh and was revised to Rs 1.46 crore in November, 1995, due to higher tendered rates. The work was allotted by the Executive Engineer, Construction Division-17, Karnal, to a contractor for completion in four months. The contractor started (December, 1995) the work in reaches from RD 1,44,000 to RD 1,52,715. For assessing the actual work involved, cross sections were observed (December, 1995) while work by the contractor was in progress. It was found that useable sand was available in between RD 1,26,430 and RD 1,44,000 which, if auctioned, could earn revenue in addition to the clearance of the channel. The work was, therefore, suspended and after correspondence with the contractor his contract was terminated in March, 1996. The contractor in the meanwhile had cleared 2,35,667 cum of silt from this stretch and was finally paid (June, 1996) Rs 76.59 lakh. During the checking of records of this division in August, 1997, it was noticed that desilting, which was required to be done between two control points to avoid silting, was not done. Commencement of work without actual assessment, availability of useable sand and preparation of estimate in haste resulted in suspension of work and rendering an expenditure of Rs 76.59 lakh as unfruitful. The Executive Engineer in reply in October, 1997, stated that as per the working schedule of contractor, work in the lower reaches up to RD 1,44,000 was taken up in the first phase and work in the upper reaches up to RD 1,26,430 was to be taken up in the second phase. The reply was considered to be not tenable as the availability of useable sand was not ascertained while preparing the estimates and also execution of work was not carried out as per the specification which lays down that silt clearances shall be completed during one closure to avoid re-silting. |
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Early
cucurbits — Mark lines to prepare trenches on spacing required for each crop. Apply NPK as per recommendations at 25 to 30 cm wide trenches and irrigate the channels. Soak seeds in lukewarm water. Wrap in the woollen rag and place in a warm place during night and in the sun during day. When the radicle emergence starts, sow on the northern edge of the trench prepared earlier. Provide sarkanda hedge at 75° on this side and irrigate the trenches at fortnightly intervals. — To obtain early crop of muskmelon, watermelon, bottle gourd and pumpkin, procure 5 kg 100 gauge thick white plastic bags of 15x10 size. In case of heavy soils, mix soil, silt and farmyard manure in equal proportion. In the case of sandy soils, silt may not be used. Puncture each bag at the bottom and fill it with this mixture and place the bags in sunlight and well protected from the frost and chilly northern winds. In the last week of January, dibble two seeds per bag and water the bags with a tumbler. This technique is suitable for raising early crops of all the cucurbits in the kitchen gardens and for commercial cultivation of muskmelon, water melon, pumpkin, ash gourd and bottle gourd. A seed rate of 200-500 g is sufficient to raise seedlings for one acre. Sugarcane — Start crushing/harvesting (mill purpose) mid season varieties (CoJ-84 and CoJ-82) and late maturing variety (Co-1148), which matures during the end of January. — Protect the seed crop against frost by giving frequent irrigation. Frost injury results in low germination of sugarcane. — Sugarcane crop may be harvested as close to the ground as possible to promote better sprouting and burn the trash immediately. — Irrigate the harvested field, plough in between the cane rows to control weeds. — The attack of larvae of stalk borer (Tarai borer) in stubbles/water shoots can be minimised by collecting the stumps and destroying them. Mentha — The best time of planting mentha is the second fortnight of January. Use two quintals of freshly dug 5-7 cm long suckers for one acre. Before planting, these suckers should be washed and dipped in 0.25 per cent Brassicol or 0.1 per cent Carbendazim 50 WP solution for 5-10 minutes. Fifty litres of solution is sufficient to dip 40 kg of sucker. — The suckers should be laid ene-to-end in furrows 45 cm apart. Apply light irrigation after planting. — Apply 1.20 tonnes of farmyard manure before planting, besides 130 kg of urea and one quintal of superphosphate (single). — For effective weed control, use pre-emergence application of Karmax (Diuron) 80 WP @ 300 g/acre in 200 litres of water.
— Progressive Farming, PAU |
