Veteran Congress chief and Kapurthala legislator Rana Gurjeet Singh on Monday cited the “agricultural distress” in Malwa area to assault the ruling Aam Aadmi Celebration (AAP) and the state’s political class for not doing sufficient to enhance the cotton-growing belt’s economic system
Veteran Congress chief and Kapurthala MLA Rana Gurjeet Singh addressing a gathering in Muktsar on Monday. (Sanjeev Kumar/ht)
Accompanied by his son and Impartial MLA Rana Inder Partap Singh and director of the Indian Institute of Maize Analysis, Hanuman Sahay Jat, Rana Gurjeet stated he’s on a mission to advertise kharif maize cultivation to spice up farmers’ profitability.
Jat stated the economic set-ups of ethanol, poultry and cattle feed in Punjab have an annual demand of 40 lakh tonnes whereas the state produces solely 10 lakh tonnes.
He stated industrialists can contribute by making a marketplace for maize and showcase it as a sustainable crop-diversification possibility.
“By adopting maize, farmers can boost their income and save groundwater, which is depleting at alarming levels. With ample marketing avenues within the state, Punjabi farmers should avail the opportunity by growing maize during monsoon but stay away from summer maize,” stated the scientist.
To a query, Rana Gurjeet stated it was unsuitable to hyperlink his drive to advertise sustainable farming with politics or diversified enterprise promoted by his household.
“Votan taan mainu vee chahedeian ne, lekin lokan de bare vee saochda haan (I want votes, but I also think of the people),” he added.
The Congress chief stated that at one level over 8 lakh hectares in Punjab was underneath cotton farming, however it shrunk beneath the one-lakh hectare mark attributable to pest assaults and unsuitable seeds.
“People of Malwa have lost their sardari (economic affluence) but political leaders from the region, irrespective of their political affiliations, have failed to highlight the grim situation or work out a solution. Cotton must be a priority crop here, but instead of paddy, an industrial crop like maize should be promoted. But no one talks about it,” the MLA stated.
“The cotton-belt has turned into a rice-growing area, but Malwa leaders don’t talk about the agrarian crisis. There are at least 6-7 large-scale industries in Punjab, including those managed by my family, that need maize. Presently, maize demands for these units are being met by the farmers from others states,” he stated. The MLA stated his 5 ethanol items require 4,000 tonnes of maize per day.
Rana Gurjeet, a sugar baron, clarified that he won’t get into contract farming with maize growers. “I am working to find a solution for farmers in distress. I offer to buy the entire maize crop as per the minimum support price (MSP) for two seasons in 2025 and 2026 for my units to prove the scope of maize production. If we fail to do so, my son and I will not contest the 2017 assembly poll, which will be our punishment,” he added.
After Maur in Bathinda, it was the second mass contact programme by Rana Gurjeet in Muktsar, the house district of the Punjab Congress president and Ludhiana parliamentarian Amrinder Singh Raja Warring.
The occasion was attended by Congress activists and farmers from the realm.
Rana Gurjeet declined to touch upon Warring’s function amid the disaster within the cotton belt. With out naming anybody, he stated leaders from his personal social gathering are taking potshots on the assured buy of maize.
“I do not take such opinions seriously as I am trying to work for the betterment of people. Like cotton, farmers of the Malwa belt are suffering due to little support to cultivation of kinnow, sugarcane and shrimp farming. Poor marketing opportunities crashed the cotton crop trend that further hit the industry of ginning, thread and farm workers,” stated Rana Gurjeet.