High yield in fields sans stubble burning

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 29

Farmers of Rajjian and Bhoewali villages in Ajnala have reported a bumper yield of wheat in their fields where Happy Seeder machines were used for sowing without burning crop residue.

The two villages, along with third Quaimpura, have been adopted under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) project to promote alternatives to burning of crop residue to check pollution.

A team of agricultural officials on Monday visited Bhoewali and Rajjian villages to interact with farmers to know about the success of the project.

The farmers were provided machines and technical knowhow by the officials of the Department of Agriculture and Punjab Agriculture and Management Extension Training Institute.

Ranjit Singh of Rajjian says the produce from three acres which he has harvested till now has recorded an average of 26-quintal produce per acre. Another farmer, Balwinder Singh, reported an average yield of 23.40 quintal. Many others also reported yield ranging between 23 and 26 quintal.

Agriculture Engineer Ranbir Singh Randhawa, who has been honoured with Dr GS Khush award for promoting alternatives to burning of crop residue and has been associated with the project, said, “The farmers who used Happy Seeder have reported same yield and in cases even more yield than those who had burnt residue before sowing wheat.” He said that Happy Seeder users even saved money which others spent on tilling of land. The happy seeder technique enables farmers sow wheat without burning crop residue and tilllage.

Agriculture officials said direct sowing of wheat was being done in around 26,000 hectares of land in the district. “On an average, a farmer saves around Rs 2,000 per acre as input cost, primarily on diesel,” said Randhawa, adding that the success of such farmers would motivate others too.