‘Mechanisation of paddy transplantation need of the hour’

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 28

Even as the department of agriculture had been trying to encourage mechanisation of paddy transplantation, it failed to convince farmers as they felt no need for the same.

However, this season, with the restrictions on movement of labour from other states for manual transplantation of paddy, the farmers are were more interested in mechanical transplantation or direct seeding techniques which do not require much labour.

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Agriculture engineer Ranbir Singh Randhawa said, “We have been creating awareness about mechanical transplantation and direct seeding as an alternative to manual transplantation.” He said they had received success in motivating only a few progressive farmers to change their agricultural practice.

He added that this year, as the labour was in limited supply, the farmers too have felt the need for mechanisation. The agriculture experts stated that mechanisation and direct seeding techniques were the future of paddy cultivation in state.

Chief Agriculture Officer Dr Gurdial Singh Bal said, “Many farmers wanted to shift to mechanisation in one go. So we advised them not to do it on over 25 per cent of land holding. We wanted them to have hands on practice before they shifted to mechanisation in entirety.” Dr Bal said the farmers were very encouraged with the direct seeding technique.

Amid reports of certain farmers not feeling happy with the outcome of direct seeding technique, Randhawa said, “The farmers are required to sow seeds in the optimum moisture and spray the weedicides. There are other requirements as the soil should not be low nutrient or sandy. If anyone has not taken care of one or more points, the result might not be encouraging,” he said.