Punjab aims to increase basmati cultivation by 20%

Chandigarh: The Punjab agriculture department is planning to increase the area under basmati crop by over 20 per cent in the current sowing season, with the state government pushing for alternative crops to wean away growers from water-guzzling paddy. As sowing of the aromatic crop is set to commence this month, the agriculture department has targeted to bring six lakh hectares under the aromatic crop, up from 4.94 lakh hectares last year, an agriculture department senior official said. The state government also has plans to fix a support price of Rs 2,600 to Rs 2,800 a quintal for basmati crop. To promote the basmati rice crop, the department has roped in 'Kisan Mitra', who will provide technical guidance to growers for sowing it.