Work on a pilot project to replace paddy crop with maize on 2,000 hectares in the district has been started this kharif season. During the season in 2024, farmers had sown maize on just 59 hectares in the district, while as part of the pilot project as many as 1,372 farmers had made commitment till June 23 to sow maize crop on 1,368 hectares in place of paddy.
The verification work with regard to sowing of the maize crop by the farmers is likely to be started by the District Agriculture Office after July 15 in the district. As per information, the verification will be done twice.
Agriculture Department officials are of the view that they will achieve the target of 2,000 hectares this season as they are hopeful that more farmers will make commitment in this regard in the days to come. For this purpose, teams of the District Agriculture Office have been reportedly visiting rural areas these days to cover all villages of the district to inspire more farmers to sow maize this year.
According to information, during the kharif season of 2024, farmers sowed maize on 36 hectares in Bhawanigarh block, followed by 12 hectares in Sunam block, eight in Sangrur block, two in Lehra block and one hectare in Dirba block (totalling 59 hectares). However, in order to encourage crop diversification this kharif season, the state government has launched the pilot project for maize cultivation on 10,000 hectares, replacing paddy crop in six districts and Sangrur district with 2,000 hectares is one of them.
Amarjit Singh, agriculture-cum-nodal officer of the pilot project, said today that 410 farmers had made commitment to replace paddy with maize in Sunam block, followed by 335 farmers in Sangrur block, 280 in Dhuri block, 185 in Bhawanigarh block and 162 farmers in Lehra block (totaling 1,372 farmers). Maize cultivation on a grand scale will prove beneficial for the farmers due to increasing demand of ethanol for industrial use, which can be produced from maize, he added.
Chief Agriculture Officer, Sangrur, Dharminderjit Singh said that under the pilot project for maize cultivation, farmers would be given an incentive of Rs 17,500 per hectare and procurement of their maize crop would be ensured at Rs 2,400 per quintal. Under the project, only those farmers will be given these benefits who had sown paddy during the kharif season in 2024 on their land where they are sowing maize this kharif season.
The Tribune
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