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The farmers of Madhya Pradesh have started to focus on zaid (other than rabi and kharif) crops to cut losses incurred due to the recent spell of bad weather.
"Crop insurance schemes are a big failure in Madhya Pradesh since companies compensate losses after taking an average production of five years into account. We are helpless though they debit Rs 5,000 on each kisan credit card against crop insurance premium. Our money goes waste," said Pankaj Patel, a farmer in Seoni-Malwa tehsil in Hoshangabad district.
Farmers have thus started experimenting with zaid crops in various pockets of the state, where irrigation facility is available.
In the districts of Hoshangabad, Harda, Khargone and Raisen, moong (green gram) is being cultivated for the last few seasons.
"I have sown a crop of moong in nearly 10 acres of my farm. I lost my wheat crop this year due to a hailstorm," Patel told Business Standard.
Another farmer, Shyamlal Gaur, enumerated the advantages of planting moong. "The moong crop can be cultivated in 60 days. If it is sown by mid-March, the crop can be harvested by mid-May or the last week of May. The crop yield stands at 1,200-1,400 kg per hectare," he said.
The state, according to an estimate, is cultivating moong on an area of 0.135 million hectares. A few years back, an agriculture college had tried to farm a crop of summer soya too. But the experiment did not bear results.
The state's agriculture department too, has no solution to the problem. "Crop insurance guidelines are framed by the central government and we can't help much in this regard. But, the zaid crop is a good option in case of a natural calamity," said R K Swai, principal secretary, agriculture department.
Farmers to get greater compensation for crop loss
The farmers of Madhya Pradesh are likely to get more compensation against crop losses due to recent inclement weather. The crop loss compensation, according to a highly placed source, might go up to Rs 15,000 a hectare. "Government is working at it and it would revise the compensation provisions if necessary," a government spokesperson said.
"Farmers will also be compensated for the losses of mustard, corriander and isabgol (psyllium seed) and even fenugreek growers," the source said.
As of now, the state government had decided to offer a maximum of Rs 10,000 a hectare on crop loss, provided the farmer had lost more than 50 per cent of the crop. Earlier, total crop loss was considered if it was more than 75 per cent.
The government, according to the spokesperson, had decided to convert farmers' short medium term crop loans into medium term loans and waive off interests.
The state chief minister had recently announced those who had lost total crop to the hailstorm would not only be compensated but would be offered ration at cheaper rates at par with what was available for people living below poverty line.
