Subsidised straw management equipment for combines

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, September 16

The Agriculture Department has asked combine harvester operators to get the super straw management system installed in their machines before the harvesting season.

Chief Agricultural Officer Dr Dalbir Singh Chinna said the combine harvester owners could avail the subsidy on the equipment. He said machine owners could file an application for the subsidy with their respective Block Agriculture Officers.

Dr Chinna said that as per the guidelines of the National Green Tribunal, the burning of crop residue in fields after harvesting had been banned and as such the new equipment could help farmers opt for better management of residue.

He said they had also received reports that a few pesticide dealers were misguiding farmers to use chemicals to increase their sales.

He said the government had already warned against the non-judicious use of chemicals on crops, especially basmati.

The department has asked its officials working at the grassroots level to keep a check on such dealers and take action against them.