Stubble burning alternatives not viable, say veggie growers

Manmeet Singh Gill

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 10

The administration is issuing challans to farmers for flouting ban on burning of crop residue in fields after harvesting, but it hasn’t deterred farmers, especially vegetable growers, who feel that alternative techniques are not of much help.

Farmers say that they grow a third crop (vegetables) during the period intervening paddy harvest and sowing of wheat, so they need fields ready at the shortest possible time to make sowing of the third crop viable.

Harjit Singh, a farmer from Jandiala, says, “No doubt the machines for shredding and mixing of crop residue are beneficial, but for vegetable growers it is not a good option as time is crucial. Sometimes farmers sow vegetables within one or two days of harvesting.”

“If we start adopting the alternative techniques, it will not be possible to get our fields ready in a short time. If we delay vegetable sowing, the next crop (wheat) will be delayed which will result in decrease in yield,” says another farmer, Satwant Singh, adding that farmers who follow the paddy-wheat monoculture can take up alternative methods and can shun stubble burning.

Ranbir Singh Randhawa, Agricultural Engineer, Department of Agriculture, said, “We have given machines on subsidy to farmers and most of them are using these. The farmers’ mindset has already changed and most of them have become sensitive to the issue. Their field trials have proven that machines for alternative to burning are much better.”

Meanwhile, the district administrative has asked rice mills to purchase hybrid rice variety which are not procured under PDS scheme without having any second thought. “Though these varieties are not covered under the MSP, trials by agriculture officials have proved that these are hybrid varieties. Moreover, these hybrid varieties consume less water and as such should be promoted,” said Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kamaldeep Singh Sangha.