Faridkot: Kapurthala MLA Rana Gurjeet Singh is urging farmers in Punjab to switch from paddy to maize cultivation, citing the need for crop diversification. He highlighted maize’s versatility, noting its use in food, ethanol production, and livestock feed, reported The Tribune.
To encourage this shift, Rana Gurjeet Singh and his son, Sultanpur Lodhi MLA Rana Inder Pratap Singh, have pledged to purchase all maize stock at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for the next two years. They are also calling on the government to increase its support for farmers making this transition.
Speaking at the launch of “Nawi Soch, Nawa Punjab,” a platform designed to promote a more profitable and entrepreneurial approach to agriculture in the state, Rana Gurjeet Singh emphasized the need for farmers to move away from traditional methods. He also stressed the importance of equipping Punjab’s youth with the skills necessary for future economic success.
Raising serious concerns about Punjab’s depleting water table, Rana Gurjeet Singh, criticising excessive paddy cultivation in the state, recalled the times when Malwa’s cotton industry thrived, supporting farmers, laborers and textile mills – a cycle that was disturbed due to pink bollworm infestations.
