South Kashmir witnesses low paddy yield this year
By: Aabid Hameed
Pulwama: The paddy farmers in different areas of South Kashmir are worried due to very low paddy yield this year.
Farmers from different areas of South Kashmir said that this year the yield is very low as compared to the past few years as the produce was full of diseases.
Mohammad Ashraf a farmer from Lassipora area of Pulwama said that our crop usually used to be ready in second fortnight of September but this year it has not ripened even one month after the stipulated time.
Now at the time of threshing, we are witnessing that yield is very low and whatever yield is there it is full of brown spots, he said.
Mansoor Ahmad a farmer from Bijbehara area of Anantnag district said he hasn’t touched his crop yet as there is no yield on it.
He said, “I will be spending more money in harvesting the crop and returns could be low. I have decided to leave it as it is,” Ahmad added.
Farmers in Awantipora, Tral, Pampore, Kakapora, Litter, Wachi and many other areas of South Kashmir said that this year’s yield is too low and they even won’t get what they have spent on it this year.
District Agriculture officer Pulwama Ghulam Mohammad said that despite dozens of awareness camps, farmers are sticking to traditional varieties which they have been using for decades together.
He said that farmers must change varieties after every five to seven years. “Traditional varieties are prone to diseases. There was no rain before ripening stage of the crop which has also affected it. There was very little affect on the varieties given to farmers by Agriculture Department but most farmers aren’t cooperating.”
He requested farmers to cooperate with the department and sow the seeds that are available at Agriculture offices in coming season.
