Farmers in Punjab are Not Buying CRM Machines
Harjinder Singh, a resident of Makdain village in Mohali district, Punjab, owns 80 acres of agricultural land. He cultivates rice on 25 acres and grows sugarcane and potatoes on the rest of the land. Based on advice from state officials, he spent INR 2.5 lakh from his pocket to purchase a CRM machine. However, him and five other farmers from his village who had applied for a subsidy have not yet received it even after a month. While Harjinder bought a machine from a private seller, the others were assured that the department would provide the machines.
Technical Issues Prevent Farmers From Buying CRM Machines
Farmers claim that technical issues are preventing them from buying CRM machines. Farm union leaders say that most farmers in Punjab have small tractors of 25 to 30 BHP, whereas the CRM machines available to them require heavy-duty tractors of up to 50 BHP. These machines are heavy and weigh up to 13 quintals. Mehar Singh Theri, Vice President of BKU, Mohali, says that the tractors and these machines are completely incompatible. The 25 BHP tractor cannot pull a 13 quintal CRM machine. The CRM machines are insufficient and cannot meet the needs of the farmers in the 12581 villages of Punjab that grow rice on 31.67 lakh hectares.
Solution to Pull CRM Machines
Harjinder Singh, a farmer in Mohali, had to adopt indigenous technology (jugaad) to pull the CRM machine he purchased last month. He says his tractor weighs 22 to 23 quintals and cannot pull a 12-13 quintal CRM machine. To maintain balance, he had to add extra weight to his tractor, otherwise the engine would stop while pulling the machine. Tejinder, a farmer from Mohali, says that a minimum of INR 10 lakh is required to buy a 50 BHP tractor. Due to the age of the tractors, farmers cannot use CRM machines. They would need to invest in new tractors. In addition, there is a shortage of machines, which are not available even for booking.
Farmers Will Continue to Grow Rice Until They Receive MSP on Other Crops
The Supreme Court recently said that states should try to phase out rice cultivation. In response, farm union leader Mehar Singh Theri said they will continue to grow rice as it is the only profitable crop. He further stated that farmers are ready to quit rice cultivation but the state government should provide the same MSP on other crops as on rice and wheat. He said that rice is the only crop that yields good earnings. They can grow other crops, but MSP is only available on wheat and rice. Announcements have been made to include other crops in the MSP ambit but they remain on paper. The promise was made to give farmers INR 2,200 per quintal for the maize crop, but when they take their crop to grain markets, they only get between INR 800 to 1200 per quintal. Until other crops are included under the MSP arrangement, farmers will continue to grow rice.
- Harjinder Singh from Punjab spent INR 2.5 lakh to buy a CRM machine on state officials’ advice but has not yet received the subsidy.
- Farmers claim that technical issues are preventing them from buying CRM machines, as they require heavy-duty tractors of up to 50 BHP.
- Harjinder Singh had to add extra weight to his tractor to pull the CRM machine, while another farmer stated that buying a 50 BHP tractor would require a minimum of INR 10 lakh.
- Farm union leader Mehar Singh Theri said they will continue to grow rice until the state government provides the same MSP on other crops as on rice and wheat.
