Rajkot: Haresh Buhahad been cultivating his 80 bigha farmland with a tractor for nearly two decades now.
This farmer of Savarkundla in Amreli district had packed off the traditional plough and hoe before shifting to the mechanical wheels around 15 years ago.
But soaring diesel prices have applied brakes on Buha’s tractor forcing the tiller to retrace his steps to the conventional ploughing equipment.
“Tractor has become unviable now.
I need 3 litres of diesel per hour to use the tractor and for an average five hours daily, I have to spend around Rs 465 at the current rate of diesel.
On the other hand, I spend only Rs 60 per day for the bullock,” Buha stated.
Farmers turn to tractor for speed of work.
The amount of work the machine can finish within five to six hours, it requires the animal two and half days to complete.
The current price of diesel per litre is around Rs 93.
Farmers across Saurashtra including Junagadh, Jamnagar, Dwarka, and Rajkot have turned to traditional farming methods.
They allege that high diesel prices have pushed tillers a decade back in farming techniques amid the peak season of sowing Kharif crop.
Buha is sowing groundnut and cotton.
One among the group of nearly 10-odd Amreli farmers who have replaced their tractors with bullocks, Sailesh Kanani said, “The price of one bullock is around Rs 8,000 to 10,000.
We turned to tractors for the cost effectiveness but now it’s proving to be a white elephant for us.” In one season, a farmer uses his tractor 20 times for sowing, weeding, sprinkling pesticides, and harvesting besides transporting labourers, seeds and equipment to the farmland.
Pravin Patodiya of Sardharpur village in Jetpur taluka of Rajkot district had brought his tractor a decade ago to reduce farming input cost as well as to save time.
Today, he is back on the traditional plough.
“I need 200 litres of diesel for my tractor in one season.
At the present rate of fuel, it’s better to pack up my tractor,” Patodiya said.
“It’s a double whammy for us,” alleged Keshubhai Odedara, another tiller from Porbandar district who has returned to the original plough.
“Traders who buy our produce also calculates transportation cost and now, he will pay less looking at the high diesel prices.
The state and central governments have imposed high tax on fuel.
If the government brings this commodity under GST, it will solve the problem,” Patodiya added.
Chairman of Gujarat Kisan Congress, Pal Ambaliya said, “In 2014, diesel price was Rs 57.71 per litre.
When the NDA government came into power, they promised to double farmers’ income and price of diesel was to be slashed to Rs 35.
While price of crude has reduced in the international market, diesel is skyrocketing in the domestic market.
We have demanded to waive taxes on diesel for agriculture use.”