Question : POTATO CROPS DAMAGED IN PUNJAB

(a) whether potato crops have been severely damaged due to cold and dipping temperature in many parts of the Punjab recently;

(b) if so, whether the Union Government has received any report from Government of Punjab in this regard;

(c) if so, the details thereof alongwith estimated loss of the crop;

(d) whether Government of Punjab has sought any sort of assistance for the farmers whose crops have been damaged;

(e) if so, the details thereof; and

(f) the reaction of the Union Government thereto?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE (SHRI KANTI LAL BHURIA)

(a) to (c): Yes, Sir. As per the information given by the Government of Punjab, the loss due to the cold and dipping temperature has been estimated at Rs.34653 lakhs. As per National Horticultural Research and Development Foundation estimates, total area under potato crop in Punjab is 75,000 ha of which 70,000 ha is affected by cold wave. The potato production, which was estimated to be around 14.00 lakhs MT, will now be reduced to around 11.00 lakh MT due to cold wave damage.

(d) to (f): No proposal has been received from Government of Punjab for assistance to the potato farmers.