Farmers expect bumper mustard crop this year

Bharat Khanna

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, February 21

The area under the mustard crop has witnessed an increase in Bathinda and Mansa districts as compared to the last year.

Farmers expect a bumper crop this season. Being cautious, the Agriculture Department has recommended insecticides for those farmers who have witnessed the ‘chepa’ pest attack.

Last year, the mustard crop was sown in around 2,500 hectares in Bathinda while this year, around 3,000 hectares have been covered under this crop.

However, Mansa has not witnessed much increase in area under this crop. Around 2,540 acres have been covered under the mustard crop while last year, it was below 2,500.

Around 4 quintals of yield is expected from each acre. Last year, the crop yield was sold at Rs 4,000 per quintal. This year, the price is expected to rise.

“We have recommended the farmers to spray about 40 gm of ‘Iktara’ insecticide diluted in 125 lt of water for each per acre to kill the pest called ‘chepa’. There is a mild attack of the pest. Farmers can also spray 400 ml of Quinanphost insecticide per acre to kill the pest. Sometimes, with the change of season and sudden rise in temperature during February and March, a pest attack on the crop is witnessed. The mustard crop takes around 145 days to nurture fully and is usually sown in October till mid of November. We are expecting a bumper crop this year as the winter season was favourable for the crop,” said agriculture development officer Jaskaran Singh.

“The farmers are given mustard seeds free of cost under diversification. Around 1.5 to 2 kg of seeds is required in each acre. We provide mini kits that carry 2 kg packet of mustard seeds for each acre to farmers,” he added.

Farmer Bhola Singh of Maur said, “The government should set minimum support price for crops such as mustard and others, besides vegetables, if it really wants to bring diversification and take the farmers out of the vicious wheat-paddy circle, especially in the cotton belt. The mustard crop is facing attacks of pest. Insecticides and pesticides should be given on subsidy by the government.”