Cooperative model is the best bet

SS Chhina

Air pollution caused by straw burning is an annual phenomenon. Punjab, the largest producer of rice in the country, is largely blamed for it, but other northern rice-producing states such as Haryana, UP and Delhi are no less responsible. Setting stubble afire is a compulsion for the farmer in view of the adopted cropping pattern. The only reason for burning this asset that can yield income and improve soil fertility is the short window between harvesting of paddy and sowing of wheat. Farmers have limited access to machinery to dispose of the straw and clear the field for wheat well in time. Apart from the burning of paddy straw, the state is grappling with issues such as the overuse of chemicals and the depletion in the water table.

The surge in the area under paddy is attributed to a prudent policy to address the problem of food shortage in the country. Rice was not a traditional crop of Punjab, but with the increase in the state’s electrification coverage, the number of tubewells as well as the area under paddy swelled, replacing pulses and other commercial crops in the kharif season.

There is a simple and remunerative way to dispose of the crop residue that must be adopted at the earliest. Punjab’s farmers are known for their initiative and entrepreneurship. They would adopt anything remunerative without losing time, but sometimes the encouragement and sponsorship of the government become imperative. The minimum support price was provided to paddy along with its assured marketing by state procurement. Wheat and paddy have assured marketing through state procurement; the same is not the case for over 20 other crops for which the MSP is announced. Reduction of sizeable area under paddy would not be feasible because of the pressure of foodgrain production.

Straw burning can be curbed through other measures, such as manufacture of paper and cardboard, and the production of mushroom where paddy straw can be used as raw material. But there are doubts whether an individual farmer can install such a unit irrespective of the size of his farm. Otherwise also, a single unit even of the largest size cannot be an economical venture because the straw is spread throughout the area and transportation at a single point would be a big constraint. The cooperative model, already implemented in the dairy sector, is the most viable option to address this problem. There is a need for at least two cardboard and paper manufacturing units in every block. The cooperative society of the local area, with the membership of farmers and farm labourers, can be formed and such cooperative units must be affiliated to their apex body, the state federation of cooperatives for rice straw management. The Cooperative Department is already sponsoring and extending help to extend cooperative ventures. Such patronisation can yield the most desirable results not only to tackle this problem but also to generate income and employment in the state.

There is immense potential for the marketing of mushrooms in India and abroad, but its farming is subject to constraints for the individual farmer. The extraction of biogas needs technical help along with extension service. But the co-operative umbrella on the same pattern can help farmers and farm labourers throughout the state.

In his study, GS Bhalla, a noted economist, has concluded that landholding of less than 10 acres is unable to provide sufficient income to a farmer to maintain a moderate standard of living; in Punjab, 89 per cent of the farmers have landholdings less than this size. These farmers can’t expose themselves to volatile prices or marketing. Rice is the crop with assured price and marketing. The same assurance has to be given for the alternative crops to expand the area under them.

Basmati is a variety of paddy that is grown on the riverbanks. India and Pakistan have monopoly of this crop. Basmati is in great demand in the Middle East, Europe and North America. The supply cannot meet the demand raised by foreign countries. How can Punjab discard this profitable export crop, even though management of its straw is a challenge? Punjab is at number 15 on the list of export earnings. Basmati exports are worth about Rs 2,000 million every year, whereas all other food crops are earning just Rs 30 million.

Straw burning must be stopped instantly, but considering the micro as well as macro aspects, we need alternative measures. The cooperative model is viable and sustainable. Small-scale farmers would not adopt any other crop where there is a risk factor due to fluctuating prices and yield. What they want is assured income rather than opting for ‘unreliable’ commercial crops.

The writer is a Senior Fellow, Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi