Haryana govt to promote Pit Sowing method for sugracane

Chandigarh, Jan 28 (UNI) Haryana government will launch a campaign to promote the cultivation of sugarcane by using the Pit Sowing method so as to increase the production of the crop in the state.

While stating this here today, Mr R K Khullar, Director Agriculture, said the average cost of cultivation through this method was Rs 28,000 per acre, but the productivity ranged between 600 to 900 quintals per acre. With the adoption of this method the income of the farmers would increase from Rs 16,000 per acre through traditional sowing methods to Rs 60,000 per acre, he added.

He informed that a state level Farmers Motivation Camp was being organised at village Rajlugarhi in Sonepat district, which would be inaugurated by Agriculture Minister Harmohinder Singh Chatha on February 3. In this camp the Pit Sowing Method would be demonstrated to the farmers.

Mr Khullar said that a target had been fixed to sow sugarcane over 4,000 acres during February with Ring Pit method of plantation as this method reduced the demand of water for irrigation and also saved on ploughing of field.

He said that Pit Sowing method was introduced in the state in 2004-05 and the department conducted trials in 150 hectares during 2005-06 in the sugarcane growing areas. The Department was providing assistance of Rs 4,000 per acre to the sugarcane growers to enable them to bear the additional expenses on labour and fertilizers.

He said that subsidy of 25 per cent was also being provided to them on the purchase of machines for the cultivation of sugarcane. In addition to this, the Cooperative Sugar Mills had also decided to provide 25 percent subsidy on the purchase of pit digging machines.

After this subsidy, the machines would be available at 50 percent of the actual cost to the farmers, he added.

Mr Khullar said that the sugarcane growers of the state were getting the highest price of Rs 138 per quintal. He said that presently, sugarcane was being grown over 1.40 lakh hectares by around one and a half lakh farmers.

The production of sugarcane was 818 lakh quintals last year with an average productivity of 265 quintal per acre.

UNI