Punjab: Ban on Pusa-44, shellers’ opposition to PR-126 leaves farmers in lurch

Tribune News Service

Manav Mander

Ludhiana, April 25

A few days after the government banned long duration paddy variety Pusa-44, rice shellers are opposing the short duration variety PR-126, which has put the farmers in a fix. Although Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) is advocating farmers to transplant this variety and they too are happy with it, rice shellers are opposing the same. This has created a difficult situation for the farmers who are on the threshold of paddy season.

Low yield, more moisture in this variety

PR-126 variety finds favour with farmers but our only issue with this variety is that we are unable to get 67 per cent of rice yield from one quintal of paddy. The moisture level of this variety is also high and goes up to 25 per cent while recommended percentage is 17 per cent. Ravinder Singh Cheema, president, arhtiyas association of punjab

The reason the rice shellers give is that they are able to get only 62-63 per cent rice out of one quintal paddy of this variety, while the government recommends 67 per cent rice yield from one quintal paddy. This is making them bear a loss of 4-5 per cent per quintal.

“PR-126 variety finds favour with farmers but our only issue with this variety is that we are unable to get 67 per cent of rice yield from one quintal of paddy. Be it short-duration variety or long duration one, the government asks for 67 per cent of rice grains from one quintal. The moisture level of this variety is also high and goes up to 25 per cent while recommended percentage is 17 per cent,” said Ravinder Singh Cheema, president of the Arhtiyas Association of Punjab.

“Keeping all these things in mind, we urge the government to form a committee with representation from farmers, agri experts, rice shellers and officials from Agriculture Department and Food Corporation of India and decide new parameters for this variety,” added Cheema.

“Farmers are happy with this variety as its yield is high and less water is required so it is good both for the environment and their pockets as well. The government has banned Pusa-44 and rice shellers are opposing PR-126 and it is farmer who is caught in the situation,” said Harmeet Singh Kadian, state president of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Kadian).

Farmers have appealed to the government to give clarity on the situation.

Meanwhile, Dr GS Mangat, Additional Director of Research (crop improvement) PAU, while speaking about PR 126 said the variety had been passed after carrying research and experiments for three years. It had been approved by the State Variety Approval Committee.

“The high yielding variety PR-126 released in 2017 takes about three-four weeks lesser than the long-duration varieties (Pusa 44, Peeli Pusa and PR-118). Due to shorter duration, this escapes abiotic stresses as well as the incidence of insects, pests and diseases, thereby, leading to lower cost of cultivation.”

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