CHANDIGARH, MAY 21:
On the appeal of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to state farmers to save water by adopting patterns of alternative crops in the state, Summer Moong cultivation in Punjab has set a new record this year with sowing of 1.25 lakh acres (50,000 hectares), an increase of around 70,000 acres from the previous season.
The State government has already issued a notification to procure the entire crop on MSP of Rs.7275/- per quintal. As per the notification, the harvesting period of Summer Moong is in the month of June, 2022 and procurement period from June 1, to July 31, 2022.
As per data compiled by State Agriculture Department on the basis of final field reports received from all the districts, it was cultivated over an area of nearly 1.25 lakh acres (50,000 hectares) as compared to 55,000 acres (22,000 hectares) during 2020-21.
Approximately, 56750 acres (22700 hectares) area in 2019-20 and 40750 acres (16300 hectares) in 2018-19 area under this crop across the state.
As per fresh reports of State Agriculture Department, Bathinda district led the state in sowing Moong over 31072 acres (12429 hectares) while last year only 500 hectares under this crop in this district. Followed by Mansa 25,000 acres (10,000 hectares), Moga 12675 acres (5070 hectares), Sri Muktsar Sahib 11975 acres (4790 hectares) and Ludhiana 10,750 acres (4300 hectares)
According to Director Agriculture Gurvinder Singh, this step would supplement farmer’s income by sowing another crop between wheat-paddy cycles.
Pertinently, the Moong cultivators would have to sow paddy 126 variety or basmati in the same field after harvesting Moong as both these crops take far less time for maturity as well as require much less water as compared to other varieties of paddy.
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