DSR technique fails to attract paddy farmers

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, July 10

Despite knowing the fact that the direct seeded rice (DSR) technique of paddy sowing saves nearly 30 per cent water, the state government has failed to promote it.

In the ongoing paddy sowing season, the DSR method has failed to attract farmers and just about 5,000 acres have been brought under cultivation through it in Muktsar district. However, the paddy cultivation has already been done on nearly 80 per cent area, say officials of the local Agricultural Department.

Notably, the district had topped in the state in 2014 by bringing nearly 39,000 hectares under the DSR technique.

Experts said the DSR technique not just saved water but also reduced the production cost by 10-15 per cent, but the farmers were still showing little interest in this method and the Agriculture Department was also least bothered about promoting it.

When asked Baljinder Singh Brar, Chief Agriculture Officer, Muktsar, said, “The cultivation through DSR technique has decreased all over in the state as farmers fear of uncontrolled weeds. Earlier, there was subsidy on the DSR machines. But now the state government is focusing on the management of paddy stubble and providing subsidy on these machines.”

He said, “As per an estimate, nearly 92,000 hectares will be brought under paddy cultivation in the district and 80 per cent sowing has been done. However, the area brought under cultivation through the DSR technique is just about 5,000-5,500 acres. The farmers are opting the conventional method of sowing.”

Notably, the district has above 100 DSR machines, including 20 machines of the Agriculture Department, which are provided to farmers by charging a nominal fee.

Bhupinder Singh, a paddy grower, said, “Though the DSR technique is beneficial for farmers, they do not adopt it because the growing crop requires intensive care, spray of weedicides in the early stages because of the problem of weeds. It, however, saves water and input costs. Even the Agriculture Department has not encouraged farmers in the last about two years. A majority of farmers feel insecure and say that it’s a risky method as they fear crop loss.”

According to reports, paddy was planted through DSR technique over around 1.15 lakh hectares in 2014 in the state.

When contacted Jasbir Singh Bains, Director, Agriculture Department, Punjab, said, “The DSR technique requires some moisture in the soil and the sowing has to be done at a particular time. It is not beneficial in sandy soil. This technique has the problems of weeds, thus farmers have to spray weedicides and they don’t adopt it.”