Untimely rain derails DSR technique of paddy sowing in Bathinda

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Bathinda, June 28

Despite the state government announcing Rs 1,500 financial assistance to farmers adopting direct seeding of rice (DSR) technique, farmers in Bathinda district have sown just 4,800 acres against the set target of 40,000 acres this season. The optimum time for the DSR technique is from May 20 to June 15.

Didn’t get time to prepare fields

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The area under the DSR has gone down from 21,000 acres last year to 4,800 acres this season due to untimely rain. Farmers didn’t get time to prepare the fields. Dr Dilbagh Singh, CAO

Last year, paddy was sown on more than 21,000 acres through the DSR method in the district.

District Chief Agriculture Officer Dr Dilbagh Singh said, “The area under the DSR has gone down from 21,000 acres last year to 4,800 acres this season due to untimely rain. Farmers didn’t got time to prepare the fields.”

Agriculture experts said traditional mindset and lack of awareness were also some of the reasons. Gurmeet Singh, a farmer, said, “Most of the farmers are transplanting paddy manually. Those who had adopted the DSR technique last year, refrained this paddy season.”

Another farmer, Gursharan Singh, said, “It is not easy to bring about behavioural change. The traditional method has been practiced by farmers for years.”

The state government announced incentive for farmers as the groundwater has been overexploited in 117 out of 150 blocks.