Even as the area under wheat and pulses is more during the current rabi season nationwide than last year, farmers and agriculture experts in Punjab fear that the hardship caused to the rural people by demonetisation could affect the prospects of the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP combine in the Assembly elections.
“I have sown potato on 6 acres. The initial cost, including seeds, urea and pesticide, comes to Rs.18,000 per acre. The cash crunch has prevented me from carrying on sowing operations,” Surjeet Singh, of Phul village in Bathinda, told The Hindu .
Mr. Surjeet Singh has sown wheat on the rest of his seven-acre land.
“With each day passing, problems are getting aggravated. Most transactions are being done on credit, so my ability to buy inputs has become limited. I have to buy whatever traders offer me on credit.”
“Patience is running out. If this [the cash crunch] is not sorted out soon, the government will face the wrath of farmers,” he said.
Satnam Singh of Beru village in Patiala expressed the same concern. “Wheat sowing should ideally be done between mid- November and the last week of the month. But sowing on my land has been delayed by a week. This means the quality of my crop could take a hit, resulting in a lower yield.”
“Many farmers of my village spend long hours in queues in front of banks and ATMs – the crucial time we should spend on our fields,” he added.
