Agricultural Shifts in Northwest India
Farmer Decisions and Crop Changes
Ramesh Chander, a farmer in Haryana's Sirsa district, is making significant changes to his cultivation strategy. He is increasing his bajra (pearl millet) cultivation to 14 acres this year, a rise from nine acres in 2025 and two acres in 2024. This increase comes at the expense of cotton, which he reduced from 23 acres in 2024 to potentially just one acre this year.
Reasons for Shift from Cotton
- Pest Threat: The pink bollworm, or gulabi sundi, has severely impacted cotton yields, reducing them from 10-12 quintals per acre to just 3.5 quintals recently.
- Labor Shortages: High labor costs for cotton picking, ranging from Rs 12 to Rs 25 per kg, coupled with yield uncertainty, make cotton less attractive.
- Chemical Input Costs: Growing cotton requires significant chemical inputs, including fertilizers and pesticides, which are ineffective against the pink bollworm.
Bajra as an Alternative
Bajra offers several advantages over cotton:
- Lower fertilizer usage with higher yields (18-20 quintals/acre).
- Less irrigation required (1-2 times compared to 5-7 times for cotton).
- Planting flexibility allowing for additional crops such as mustard and moong.
Market and Support Challenges
While bajra fetches lower market prices, farmers like Chander seek government assurance through Minimum Support Price (MSP) to make it a viable alternative. The current effective rate received was below the official MSP.
Impact of International Tensions on Fertilizer Supply
Current geopolitical tensions in West Asia, particularly the US-Israel versus Iran conflict, threaten the availability of fertilizers crucial for crops like paddy and maize, which are more fertilizer-intensive than bajra.
Potential of Millets
The United Nations declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets, highlighting their benefits in terms of lower nutrient, pesticide, and water requirements. This shift, due to international tensions and climate conditions, may highlight 2026 as a pivotal year for millet adoption.
This summary outlines the challenges and strategic decisions faced by farmers in Northwest India, emphasizing the shift from cotton to bajra due to economic and environmental factors, and highlights the potential role of millets in future agricultural practices.
