Haryana: Cheer for Karnal farmers as basmati fetches higher price

By Parveen Arora

The prevailing prices of various basmati varieties have given farmers across the district a reason to smile. According to them, the basmati varieties, including CSR-30, Pusa-1121, PB-1509, PB-1718 and others, are fetching better prices this year as compared to those during the last year.

Basmati CSR-30 is fetching around Rs 6,000-6,700 per quintal in various grain markets of the district, while it was procured between Rs 5,000 and Rs 5,500 last season.

Pusa-1121 is fetching around Rs 4,000-4,600 per quintal, while its price last year was Rs 3,800-4,000 per quintal. PB-1509 is being procured around Rs 3,200-3,700 a quintal, while it was procured at Rs 3,000-3,200 a quintal last season, farmers said.

Tejpal, a farmer from Nigdhu, said his CSR-30 produce was procured at Rs 6,683 a quintal. However, the yield was low, but the prices have compensated for the yield loss. Raj Kumar, another farmer from Nilokheri block, said the variety was procured at Rs 6,600 a quintal.

Chaman Lal, a farmer from Indri block, said basmati variety Pusa-1121 gave a good return as it was sold at Rs 4,500 a quintal with an average yield of 25 quintal per acre.

Low yield along the Yamuna belt is a worry for the farmers as they have to re-transplant crops after the devastating flood that destroyed their standing paddy crops.

“I sowed PR-14 variety, but that was damaged due to floodwaters. Later, I had to transplant Pusa-1121, but due to unfavourable field conditions caused by floods, I could not get good yield,” said Prem Chand, a farmer from Gheer village. He had come to the Karnal grain market to sell his produce today.

Nikhil, an arhtiya, said the basmati varieties being procured by private players were fetching good prices this year in comparison to the last season.

This article has been republished from The Tribune