Bathinda: Ahead of paddy transplantation, farmers are worried about high input costs caused by regular increase in diesel prices.
According to agriculture experts, the diesel component has nearly 13% to 14% share in determining the input cost of the crop.
Even with direct seeding of rice (DSR) technique, diesel has almost a similar share in determining input cost.
Any fluctuation in the price of diesel has a direct bearing on input cost.
In the last one month, diesel price increased by over Rs 5 per litre while over the past year, from June 2020, it increased by Rs 22 to Rs 23 per litre.
In June 2020, diesel price was between Rs 63 and Rs 66 while it stood at Rs 82.54 per litre on May 2 this year.
On June 7 this year, it was Rs 88.01 per litre.
Farmers and agri experts said increase of Rs 22 to Rs 23 per litre in one year would lead to an increase of over 10% in overall input cost.
Besides tractors, which are used both in traditional and DSR technique, cost of operating other machinery, which also runs on diesel, will increase.
“Under traditional transplantation method, while puddling, it becomes mandatory to keep stagnating water in the field in ponding like situation for two weeks.
If the power supply is cut for any reason, farmers have to use generator to maintain ponding, failing which cracks appear in the field, causing problems.
This exercise increases input cost further,” said an agriculture expert from Punjab Agriculture University (PAU).
Farmer Gurpreet Singh from Mehraj village in district Bathinda said, “I remember purchasing diesel at Rs 65 per litre in June 2020, which now costs Rs 88 per litre.
One can imagine the increase in input cost.”