Potato seed scarcity temporary: experts
SHIMLA, Nov 12 — The abnormal increase in the prices of potato coupled with unfavourable weather conditions for the second successive season are mainly responsible for the shortage of potato seed in the northern belt where sowing is on currently.
However, the situation is neither alarming nor unusual, experts at Central Potato Research Institute here say the scarcity will be over with the arrival of new crop by the middle of December.

BJP-HVC tie-up to continue: CM
DHARAMSALA, Nov 12 — The Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, has said that the BJP-HVC coalition would continue even if the BJP wins the Baijnath seat.

Conference on economic strategies for Army
SHIMLA, Nov 12 — A two-day conference on "Economic strategies affecting Army modernisation" began at the Army Training Command here today.

Potato seed scarcity temporary: experts
From Rakesh Lohumi
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Nov 12 — The abnormal increase in the prices of potato coupled with unfavourable weather conditions for the second successive season are mainly responsible for the shortage of potato seed in the northern belt where sowing is on currently.

However, the situation is neither alarming nor unusual, experts at Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI), here, assert and assure that the scarcity will be over with the arrival of new crop by the middle of December.

Unlike onions, the shortage has not been acute and it is largely the panic reaction of consumers and farmers which aggravated the problem, allowing traders to take advantage of the situation, they point out.

The price of table potato has been increasing sharply over the past two months on account of a shortfall in production last year. The total output, which stood at 18 million tonnes in 1995-96 increased to 28 million tonnes in 1996-97, following a bumper crop. But unfavourable weather conditions for most part of the last season severely affected the crop as a result of which the production dwindled to 15 million tonnes.

However, it is nothing unusual as the potato crop, since the introduction of high-yielding varieties, has been following a pattern where a bumper crop is often followed up by a poor season, explained Dr G.S. Shekhawat, Director of the institute. Hostile weather is, of course, one of the main factors responsible for the shortfall in production. There was heavy rain in September and October which delayed sowing in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The fields in certain areas were flooded and farmers could not undertake operations. The delay of around 20 days shortened the bulking period, leading to a reduction in yield by 15 quintals to 20 quintals per hectare. In certain areas of the Indo-Gangetic plain, the sandy soil was washed away by rain, exposing the "stolons", which affected tuber formation.

The prolonged wet spell also led to the outbreak of the late blight disease which further brought down the yield, he added.

The weather has been playing truant even this year. There have been frequent spells of rains which damaged about 30 per cent of the crop sown in September. Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh have been the worst hit. In some areas, the sown seed perished, forcing the farmers to replant the fields which further increased the demand for seed.

Normally, the price of seed potato is around Rs 200 per quintal more than that of table potato. But this year, the unprecedented rise in the price of potato tempted the farmers to sell even the seed as table potato. This was also one of the factors for the scarcity of seed. Keeping in view the market trend, the institute increased the price of breeder seed from last year's Rs 850 per quintal to Rs 1100. But the private breeders who meet the bulk of the demand for seed potato, however, have been selling it at Rs 2500 to Rs 3000 per quintal.

Unlike other states, the crop in Himachal Pradesh was not affected by bad weathers.

But the production in the state is not enough to make up for the shortfall in the output elsewhere. Until a decade ago, production of high-quality seed potato was the exclusive preserve of the state. As hot and humid conditions in plains provided the breeding grounds for aphids and other insects, the carriers of various viruses, producing disease-free seed was virtually impossible. Himachal, where the temperate agroclimatic conditions are ideal for seed production, dominated the country's market for about four decades. Farmers from even far off states like Karnataka, Kerala, Gujarat, Maharashtra and West Bengal procured their requirement from the hill state.

The new seed plot technique developed by the CPRI, which made it possible to grow virus-free seed potato in the plains, however, ended the state's monopoly.

Its market has been shrinking ever since, leading to a sharp reduction in area under seed potato and total production. Of late, even the highly reputed seed potato of Lahaul and Spiti has suffered due to loss of credibility and a large number of tribesmen have switched over to more remunerative crops like peas and hops. While the area under potato in the tribal valley came down from 1500 hectares in 1980 to 800 hectares in 1996, the production declined from 30,000 tonnes to 15,500 tonnes over the period.

This year, the valley produced 1.33 lakh bags, out of which about one lakh bags will be exported to the southern states. The total production in the state has dwindled from 1.20 lakh tonnes to 35,000 tonnes and farmers in the high and mid-hills are finding the cultivation of table potato more remunerative than seed potato.

The changing weather conditions over the past couple of years have forced the farm scientists to devise new strategies to protect the crop from diseases.

Over the past couple of years the entire Indo-Gangetic plain, which accounts for about 85 per cent of the total production, has been having frequent spells of rain from October to January. The excessive humidity provides ideal conditions for spread of the late blight disease.

In the emerging situation, large-scale introduction of varieties resistant to late blight will be inevitable. Besides, farmers will have to carry out regular sprays to protect the crop. The CPRI has already developed a number of late blight resistant varieties which it proposes to popularise among the farmers.

The scientists feel that to stabilise the market, the Centre will have to carry out advance planning in close coordination with states. It must develop a system to gather authentic data regarding area on which the crop has been sown and the likely production and market trends. This will enable it to know whether there would be a shortfall or surplus produce in a particular state. It should make the necessary arrangements well in advance to deal with the situation.

Old woman, cattle perish in fire
From Our Correspondent

CHAMBA, Nov 12 — One old woman, aged 70, was burnt to death and three head of cattle perished when five houses were burnt to the ground and six were partially damaged in a devastating fire which broke out at Rathiar village near Khajjiar, about 24 km from the district headquarters town of Chamba, last evening.

Mr K. Sanjay Murti, Deputy Commissioner of Chamba, said that on receiving the information about the fire, the Subdivisional Magistrate and Tehsildar of Chamba along with fire-fighting crew rushed to the site to carry out rescue operations.

The D.C. said that the burnt woman had been identified as Dilo. One cow, an ox and a calf were also killed.

The tentative loss caused due to the fire has been put at about Rs 10 lakh.

Mr Murti stated that an immediate relief of about Rs 12,000 was distributed among about 14 fire affected families who had been rendered homeless. Besides, tarpaulins and blankets had been provided to the victims for their stop-gap living arrangements and free ration had also been distributed.

He said that a case had been registered by the police to investigate into the cause of the fire.

Meanwhile, a house along with a cow was also gutted in a fire at Baniyag village in the outskirts of Chamba town two days ago. The affected family had been given an immediate relief as per the norms of the relief manual, the D.C. said.

35 blood donors honoured
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Nov 12 — Mrs V S Rama Devi, HP Governor, today honoured 35 persons who had donated blood more than 25 times at a function organised by the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad to mark the conclusion of its week-long campaign on blood safety.

Prominent among those honoured were Mr Vasudev Kuthiala and Ms Madhu Suden who have made 110 and 50 donations, respectively.

Mrs Rama Devi appreciated the effort of the parishad in promoting the noble cause and said students should also devote time to social work.

She disapproved of students taking an active part in politics and advised them to take up constructive activities instead.

Mr J P Nadda, Health Minister, said the state annually required about 18,000 units of blood while only about 16,000 units was available. The shortage was mainly in the June, August period.

BJP-HVC tie-up to continue: CM
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, Nov 12 — The Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, has said that the BJP-HVC coalition would continue even if the BJP wins the Baijnath seat.

Talking to newspersons at Malnu, near Palampur, yesterday, he said he was grateful to the HVC chief, Mr Sukh Ram, who helped in the formation of the BJP-HVC coalition government at a very crucial juncture. Mr Dulo Ram was the joint candidate of both the BJP and the HVC, and workers of both the parties would work to ensure his victory. Mr Dhumal had come to Malnu to attend the 149th Shaheed Divas Samaroh of Wazir Ram Singh Pathania, being organised by the Himachal Rajput Kalyan Sabha.

To a question about the status of the two ministers who had left the HVC to join the BJP, Mr Dhumal said they were very much in the BJP and continued to be ministers in the coalition government. He claimed that the experiment of having coalition governments both at the Centre and in Himachal had proved to be successful.

He claimed that the BJP would win the Baijnath by-election as the 'performance' of the government during the past eight months would be the main issue. "It is for the electorate of Baijnath to compare our eight-month performance with the four-year rule of the Congress party," he stated.

He claimed that various inter-state issues that had been delayed for several years had been settled amicably. These included the construction of Shah Nagar Project, Thein Dam and Anandpur Hydel Channel.

Conference on economic strategies for Army
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Nov 12 — A two-day conference on "Economic strategies affecting Army modernisation" began at the Army Training Command here today.

Defence analysts and economists attending the discussions include Mr Ashok Desai, member, PMS consultative group on Economic Affairs, Mr Prem Shankar Jha and Air Cdr. Jasjit Singh.

The conference is discussing economic strategies that should be in place by 2010 and their impact on national security and modernisation of the Army.