New Delhi (Sputnik) — China has come to the rescue of farmers from the Indian state of Punjab, which is facing its worst agrarian crisis in years. China's Shanghai Municipal Agriculture Commission has offered to transfer modern technology to Punjabi farmers that will boost their farm productivity and will allow them to grow Chinese vegetables to diversify their produce.
Mr Zhioyong also committed help for Punjab farmers to grow Chinese vegetables to boost State's diversification drive pic.twitter.com/HKTpFKRK9S
— Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal) 9 May 2016
Shanghai Municipal Agriculture Commission Chairman Feng Zhioyong, during his meeting with Sukhbir Singh Badal, Punjab's Deputy Chief Minister, who is currently touring China, assured that the commission "will identify areas of mutual interest for sharing best practices."
K.S. Pannu, a senior official from Punjab's agriculture department told Sputnik:
"Our wheat production is stuck at 18 quintals per acre for the last so many years. We will see if they have the technology to improve its yield further. Similarly, there is a plateau of productivity of wheat, rice and other crops. Can that plateau be broken? The quality of the grain can be improved. The same is the case with fruits and vegetables and so many things."
Even Shanghai Agriculture Commission VC Mr Feng Zhioyong considers Punjab having a huge scope for investment in the food processing sector
— Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal) 9 May 2016
According to a statement from Punjab's government, producers of soya bean will now be able to use Chinese processing technology. It also said that farmers will be encouraged to grow vegetables used in Chinese cuisine.
Met with Mr Feng Zhioyong, VC Shanghai Municipal Agricultural Comm. fr cooperation in Food processing & Agriculture pic.twitter.com/PTjG6mHj6F
— Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal) 9 May 2016
This comes against the backdrop of an alarming farming crisis in Punjab, a region which was once the mainstay of India's green revolution. More than 50 distressed Punjabi farmers have taken their lives in the last three months. The hardships were prompted by simultaneous crop failures, drought and spurious pesticides, driving the farmers to amass huge debts. Experts believe that instead of growing the staple rice and wheat, the farmers should be encouraged to diversify their produce in order to tide them over during the crisis.
