Unfavourable weather conditions cause loss to pea cultivators in Amritsar

After facing difficulties in selling their paddy and basmati, farmers are now troubled by low yield of pea crop as due to unfavourable weather conditions, the yield has fallen considerably. Vegetable cultivators stated that the input cost of pea crop is nearly Rs 30,000 per acre.

Lakhbir Singh Nizampura, president of the Vegetable Growers’ Association, said, “Even as the current yield has no seeds in beans, farmers are earning Rs 15,000 per acre only.” He said farmers had earlier suffered Rs 25,000 per acre loss as they did not get a fair price of basmati crop.

Many farmers in the district sow peas, potatoes and beans as a third crop between the harvesting of paddy and sowing of wheat so as to supplement their income. However, this year, instead of supplementing their income, the third crop has further increased their losses.

Farmers stated that usually during this time of the year, temperatures fall considerably and weather conditions become conducive for proper growth of pea crop. But this year, the temperature is comparatively high and has not been favourable for pea crop.

Farmer leader Bhupinder Singh Tirathpura said, “Farmers are forced to destroy their pea fields as plucking peas requires labour and hence further increase in input cost.” He said early sown pea variety has been completely damaged by unfavourable weather conditions.

Bhupinder Singh said the cultivation of crops depends on weather conditions. “We cannot complain about weather but if the government had ensured a fair price for basmati crop, the farmers could have been saved from falling into the debt trap,” he said.