Paddy pangs

THE paddy glut in Punjab’s grain markets not only reflects the inefficiency of procurement agencies but also the failure of the Central and state governments to work in close coordination. Various stakeholders are up in arms — farmers are complaining of tardy purchase of their produce, rice millers need space to store the fresh paddy and arhtiyas are demanding a raise in their commission. Ironically, the entire hue and cry is regarding a crop that has wreaked havoc on the state’s water table, with desertification no longer being a remote possibility. After all, for how long can Punjab keep ‘exporting’ its dwindling natural resource through paddy cultivation?

Assured procurement at the minimum support price (MSP) has been driving Punjab’s paddy farmers to contribute overzealously to the Central pool, even though this crop is not a staple food in the state. Overflowing granaries lay bare the mismatch between the state’s expectations and the Centre’s requirements. To make matters worse, the producers are vilified for burning stubble, which is a major source of air pollution in the northern region in October and November.

The all-round mess makes it obvious that the phaseout of paddy and earnest implementation of the much-touted crop diversification scheme cannot be delayed inordinately. Keeping Punjab’s farmers chained to paddy is a recipe for disaster. It seems that no lessons have been learnt by the Centre from the year-long agitation by farmers against the three contentious farm laws. Their fears that the Union Government wanted to wash its hands of procurement in the long run were not baseless. Merely announcing higher MSP for all major crops is not enough to attract growers. A robust system has to be put in place for the purchase of crops such as maize and pulses at the MSP. Disincentivising paddy farming can make a big difference on the ground.