Dr SS Johl
Read what noted Punjab economist advises to ensure smooth wheat operations
By Raju William
Ludhiana, April 4, 2020: Amid the prevailing unprecedented global Corona crisis, Punjab is facing a big challenge ahead even as the state government gears up for facilitating harvesting and ensure procurement of wheat in a manner that meets the necessary safety protocol against the deadly virus.
To ensure hassle-free operations in this never-before-seen situation, renowned agricultural economist and policy planner of national and global reckoning, Dr SS Johl has suggested the government should go in for a massive sensitization campaign and training of farmers, labour and all other stake holders so as to make them act in a disciplined way and take all precautions prescribed in the situation.
“In my opinion if curfew is extended beyond 14th April, it could be a disastrous chaos as wheat harvest will start, marketed, lifted, transported and stored. All these operations require huge labour, combines, tractors trolleys, trucks and human resources. Curfew under these conditions will be a big hurdle and create unrest in rural areas. Labour shortage will add fuel to the fire,” he said during exclusive chat with babushahi.com.
As a solution, Dr Johl, who has been a representative of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) providing consultancy to several countries, suggested number of measures to help the government achieve its purpose of ensuring smooth operations for the benefit of all particularly the farming community.
1. Make adequate provision for washing of hands with soap/ soap dispensers at multi-number of places in the markets.
2. Arrangement for hot water and tea for the workers in the markets/ purchase centers( 3-4 time tea or hot water intake can be quite beneficial)
3. Adequate number of masks for all operating in the markets and grain handlers, transporters and farmers.
4. Instructions for precautions to be taken like keeping distances, sneezing, coughing etc.
5. Increase the number of purchase centers to reduce congestion in the main markets in the urban and suburban areas
6. Increase number of spread out storage places in the rural areas.
Also a former consultant to the World Bank on agricultural economics, Dr Johl commented that in this period of serious crisis, the industry and businesses can wait and the total labour available may be persuaded and diverted to the farm sector for one and a half month. There will be handsome earnings for them also in this sector.
Staggered harvest, according to him, would not be a practical idea because the crop has matured simultaneously with a difference of only 3-4 days and the farmers would be anxious to harvest as quickly as they can apprehending possibility of adverse weather conditions.
Asked about lifting the produce from the door steps of farmers, he said it is easier to suggest so than implement keeping in view some 16-18 Million tons expected wheat production in 12,500 villages in the state and huge number of farmers especially the marginal, small and medium ones.
“God save and bless you all stake holders involved in this process,” he wished as a parting comment.