Haryana: Oilseeds gain ground as farmers shift beyond wheat in Ambala, Kurukshetra

By Nitish Sharma

Oilseed crops, particularly mustard and toria, are steadily gaining popularity among farmers in Ambala and Kurukshetra districts, driven by lower input costs, better crop rotation options and rising interest in a three-cropping system.

Data from the Agriculture Department indicates a clear increase in acreage under oilseeds this rabi season. In Ambala, the area under oilseeds has risen from around 7,200 acres last year to nearly 8,250 acres this year. Kurukshetra has also witnessed an expansion, with acreage increasing from about 12,115 acres to nearly 12,750 acres during the same period.

Agricultural experts and farmers attribute this trend to the comparatively lower requirement of fertilisers and irrigation than wheat, along with the flexibility oilseeds offer in crop planning. Mustard, in particular, fits well between paddy and sunflower, enabling farmers to harvest three crops instead of the conventional two.

Malkit Singh, an oilseed farmer from Ambala, said, “The mustard crop allows farmers to cultivate three crops — paddy, mustard and then sunflower — instead of only paddy and wheat. The trend of oilseeds cultivation is increasing gradually in the region. The government should ensure timely procurement so that farmers are not forced to sell the produce below the MSP.”

Echoing similar concerns, another farmer, Sukhvinder Singh, said mustard would be ready for harvesting by the third week of February. “We request the government to start procurement by the end of February. After mustard, we will grow sunflower. If farmers get MSP on both mustard and sunflower, it will motivate them to increase the area under oilseeds further,” he said.

Farmer unions have also flagged procurement-related issues. Rakesh Bains, spokesperson of BKU (Charuni), said, “A huge quantity of produce is sold to private players before the procurement agency enters the market. Ensuring timely procurement on MSP is the government’s responsibility. If these issues are resolved, the area under oilseeds cultivation will continue to increase.”

Officials say efforts are being made to promote oilseeds. Deputy Director Agriculture, Kurukshetra, Dr Karamchand, said around 12,750 acres were under oilseeds this year, including about 8,750 acres under mustard and 4,000 acres under toria. He advised farmers to bring produce to grain markets as per the government’s procurement schedule.

Deputy Director Agriculture, Ambala, Dr Jasvinder Saini, said nearly 8,250 acres were under oilseeds in the district this year. “Oilseeds fit well into the three-cropping system. A Kisan Mela was recently organised to promote oilseed cultivation. We expect sunflower acreage to increase further, and have requested the government to advance procurement to protect farmers from distress sales,” he added.

This article has been republished from The Tribune.