Chandigarh (PTI): Deficient rains along with severe power shortage could hike the cost of cultivation of paddy in Punjab by at least 6 to 9 per cent in the current Kharif season which would seriously impact the earnings of paddy growers, experts said.

Meanwhile, the State owned Punjab State Farmers Commission has sought at least Rs 50 per quintal hike in Paddy Minimum Support Price (MSP) over and above the suggested price as given by the Commission for Agricultural Costs &Prices (CACP) for the Kharif season 2009-10 to compensate the farming community for the surge in the input costs.

"State paddy growers this season have resorted to spending heavily on buying diesel for watering their field crops because of scanty rains and shortage of power," Punjab State Farmers Commission, Agriculture Economist, P.S. Rangi told PTI here on Friday.

According to Rangi, since farming in Punjab largely depends on irrigation, farmers this year used 30 litres of diesel per acre against the usual consumption of 10 litres of diesel on paddy transplantation that increased their input costs. .

"As per our estimates, the fuel cost for irrigating the crop will jump by Rs 1,000-1,500 per acre this year," he said.

Also see