The Punjab and Haryana Governments have advised paddy farmers not to undertake sowing of a high-yielding variety ‘PUSA Basmati 1509’ before July 15 after exporters complained of high incidence of breakage in basmati rice due to early plantation.An awareness campaign has been launched in both Punjab and Haryana -- the two major basmati rice producing States.Under this campaign, farmers have been asked to “shun” the practice of sowing 1509 variety before July 15.
“We are asking farmers under the campaign to transplant Basmati 1509 variety after July 15 otherwise there will be high incidence of broken content and moisture content in the crop will be higher,” Haryana Additional Chief Secretary (Agriculture), Dhanpat Singh said here today.If the crop is planted pre-maturely, then there will be high breakage while milling and will have no acceptability in export market, according to basmati rice exporters.“What farmers do is they plant this crop before July and as a result of which the grain remained immature and weak. When we mill or process it, the grain breaks up,” Punjab Rice Millers and Exporters Association, Director, Ashok Sethi said.
Sethi claimed that a large number of rice exporters faced heavy losses last season when they were unable to market basmati 1509 variety rice in export market because of high incidence of breakage.“We want that crop should be sown after July 15, which should be ready by October,” he said. The association had even raised this matter with Punjab government following which Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal directed Punjab Agricultural University, Agriculture department to launch an awareness campaign across the state in this regard.Developed by Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), PUSA Basmati 1509 variety has seen its acceptability among growers both in Punjab and Haryana in a big way because of its high yield and short duration.Its yield is about 25 quintals per acre, higher than the other variety of 1121 whose yield is 20 quintals per acre.
“We have always been saying that transplantation of 1509 variety should start from July 20 onwards and it can be transplanted till August 10. Then it will have good aroma and will have no broken rice issue,” IARI, Principal Scientist, A K Singh said.Singh asked exporters not to buy early sown basmati crop from farmers which can help in solving this problem.Almost 3 lakh hectares in Punjab and 2.50 lakh hectares in Haryana was brought under basmati 1509 variety last year.Total basmati producing area in Punjab is about 8 lakh hectares and 6 lakh hectares in Haryana. Two States have targeted 26.50 lakh hectares and 12 lakh hectares under paddy for current Kharif season.
