Haryana has registered a record yield of wheat production at 46.14 quintals per hectare in Rabi season of 2008-09. According to sources in the department of agriculture, Haryana this is greater than Punjab, that got a yield of 45 quintal per hectare in the corresponding year.
The farmers in different districts of Haryana contribute this to the revised remuneration of wheat and the national food security mission.
Harkesh Singh of village Teja Mohri, 16 kilometers off Ambala said that the minimum support price of wheat that was Rs 640 per quintal in 2004-05 had almost doubled to Rs 1,100. The assured market and good remuneration was a big incentive for the farmers.
The area under wheat in the state has increased from 2.32 million hectares in 2004-05 to 2.46 million hectares in 2009-10 in the state.
Achar Singh of village Ugada said that the subsidy on certified variety of seeds under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna made the farmersgo for better variety seeds. Now the subsidy has been withdrawn but farmers are still buying certified seeds because of better yield. This definitely helped in raising production.
The introduction of land levellers has helped them getting a uniform produce and less requirement of water.
“We take land levellers on rent to level our fields that saves 30 per cent-40 per cent of water,” he said.
Balwinder Singh of Durala said the subsidy on rotavator, zero tillage seed driller and fertiliser machines helped them raise their productivity.
President of farmers’ club of Ambala district Harkesh Singh said the state government should focus on the recahrging of ground water in hinterland as was being done in urban areas.
He added that every two years water table went down by 15 feet which resulted in replacement of centrifugal pumps submersible tubewells. This put financial burden on farmers.
The farmers believe there is scope for increase of 30 per cent yield with better variety of seeds and irrigation facilities.
