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News
NGT ban has cane growers worried over firing residue
Date:
09 Oct 2017
Source:
The Times of India
Reporter:
Ikhhlaq Aujla
News ID:
22755
Pdf:
Nlink:
CHANDIGARH: The farm practice of setting wheat and paddy stubble on fire has come under sharp focus for being a key contributor to the smog in Delhi and surrounding areas, causing severe respiratory and other health problems among residents, but burning of sugarcane residue in north India has largely gone unnoticed so far. With the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directing Delhi's neighbouring states Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan to ensure ban on stubble burning, cane farmers too are worried over facing action for firing the sugarcane residue this season.
Farmers clear the residue, including leaves and other trash for the ratoon crop (practice of growing sugarcane from the stubbles of previous crop) by burning as it helps them save on the cost of preparatory tillage, planting material and offers benefit of residual manure and moisture. The ratoon crop matures earlier and gives more or less same yield as of fresh crop.
Normally, the cane harvest begins in north India in November with the start of crushing by sugar mills and continues till March-April. Majority of the farmers in the region opt for clearing their fields for ratoon crop or fresh sowing by setting the fields on fire. Since all fields are harvested gradually, the process of clearing the fields by burning the cane residue is staggered.
As per government estimates, sugarcane has been grown over 22.66 lakh hectares in UP, 1.11 lakh hectares in Haryana, 95,000 hectares in Punjab and 84,000 hectares in Uttarakhand this season. Sugarcane production in India during 2017-18 crop year is estimated to be at 338 millon tonne.
A cane grower Harinder Singh Riar of Bhamri village in Gurdaspur district of Punjab says, "The NGT orders are about stopping burning of any crop residue so we will not be allowed to set the sugarcane leftovers on fire this time. Everyone is worried about managing the cane residue since it is important for the ratoon crop. Already there is pressure on us to stop burning of wheat and paddy stubble, now we will have to look for solutions to manage the cane residue as well."
Tejinder Singh Sandhu, who grows sugarcane in Haridwar district of Uttarakhand and Bijnor district of UP, says, "It will be very difficult for farmers to deal with the problem since burning of cane residue offers many advantages. It helps in better growth of the ratoon crop as its checks the growth of pests and also prevents the spread of fungal diseases that can damage sugarcane. I am not saying, we can't follow other practices to manage cane residue, it requires more effort and time."
What is ratooning
Ratooning is an age old method of sugarcane propagation in which subterranean buds on stubble—the part of cane left underground after harvesting plant cane -- gives rise to succeeding crop stand which is usually referred to as 'ratoon' or the 'stubble crop.' Ratooning is an integral component of sugarcane production system throughout the world as it not only reduces the cost of cultivation but also dispenses with the requirement of seed material and some practices like land preparation and preparatory irrigation.
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