While Boro paddy production in West Bengal is likely to surpass last year?s level this summer, the state is struggling with lack of storage facility. State?s farmers will have to look at markets outside Bengal to market their cash crop this season.
?Paddy production in the state is likely to cross 30 lakh tonnes this year. Last year, we produced around 22 lakh tonnes due to adverse weather conditions. This time weather has been favourable while the crop was growing,? said Jyotipriyo Mullick, the minister of food & supplies.
Madan Ghosh, secretary of the CPM-supported Pradeshik Krishak Sabha, said that production might actually come down as area under cultivation for the Boro crop was down by around 20% this year. ?Apart from a lower acreage, production was also hit by Majra pest infestation. These two factors may bring down production level this year,? Ghosh said.
Initially, the state?s agriculture department was sceptical about the production this summer as farmers were not showing much interest after they failed to fetch a good price for the kharif crop last year. Till the first week of February paddy was sown on 6 lakh ha against a target of 14 lakh ha this Boro season. But the area under cultivation increased afterwards.
Boro or the summer crop gained popularity over the years. Unlike the Kharif crop, it is not much prone to weather fluctuations. Moreover, availability of groundwater in the state, suitable soil substrate and a favourable economic return boosted production of the Boro crop over the years.
?Farmers started showing interest after the state government continued to procure rice from the farmers,? claimed Mullick. According to Sushil Kumar Choudhury, the president of Bengal Rice Mills? Association, prices have increased this year bringing a relief for the farmers. Prices for the high yielding variety of paddy are around R1,200-1,250 per quintal against R1,100 last year.
?Farmers had a better access to groundwater and irrigation went off well due to better power supply throughout the state,? he said. Meanwhile, the state government is worried about the storage of rice after the healthy production. The state has a food grain storage capacity of 50,000 tonnes. While the state has decided to add 5 lakh tonnes capacity in next three years, it has to make arrangements for storing the cash crop this season.
Faced with a lack of storage capacity, farmers may have to look forward to export to neighbouring states. ?There is a demand for good quality rice all across the state. The farmers may look forward to access those markets,? Choudhury said.