Haryana's basmati acreage may shrink
Looking at the surge in the area under paddy transplantation in Haryana this season, there are apprehensions that the area under basmati rice would decrease.
Members of rice millers and export association said the area under traditional basmati is likely to fall this year while area under Pusa- 1121 is likely to remain the same. The overall area under basmati this season could decline by 5-10 per cent according to Haryana rice millers.
In Haryana, where around 12 lakh hectares of land is covered by paddy, 50 per cent area is targeted for basmati, while remaining under non basmati variety.
According to latest data, 11.53 lakh hectares under paddy was covered as against 10.95 lakh hectares covered in the corresponding period previous year. The targeted area for paddy this season is 12 lakh hectares.
Agriculture department officials in Haryana maintained since transplantation was on, it was difficult to comment whether basmati area would decline this year or not. The clear picture would emerge only after few days.
Sushil Jain, president, Haryana Rice Exporters Association maintained area under basmati in Haryana would decline as area under traditional basmati( which almost doubled last year) is likely to halve this year.
Even as other varieties area may remain constant.
Sushil Jain, president, Haryana Rice Exporters Association maintained area under basmati in Haryana would decline as area under traditional basmati( which almost doubled last year) is likely to halve this year even as other varieties area may remain constant..
The area under basmati declining this year is primarily due to two reasons .
The floods inundating field when common variety was already transplanted resulted in farmers to move to basmati transplantation.
Basmati area which ideally is 50-55% of the total paddy area in Haryana , last year because of re- transplantation surged to 65%. The area under traditional basmati almost doubled last year.
Sushil Jain maintained farmers opting for traditional basmati did not receive attractive remunerations last year because of increase in area under basmati. Higher area resulting in more production suggested prices of traditional basmati coming down by 20-25% , thereby discouraging farmers this year to go in for traditional basmati transplantation. This could result in basmati area dipping .
Monsoon in Haryana this season has been deficient and as per reports till first week of August rainfall in Haryana has been 32% deficient.This however would have no major impact on production of paddy as scientists maintain less rainfall means lower incidence of attacks on crop by pest and pathogens thus improving the production.
Moreover paddy in Haryana is grown in area where assured irrigation facility is available; hence any deviation in rainfall from normal does not have significant impact on the production of rice.