Haryana to rope in drones to spray nano-DAP in fields

Rohtak, November 15

With a view to preventing excessive use of chemical fertilisers like urea and DAP in the state, the government has chalked out a plan to use drones for spraying nano-urea and nano-DAP in agricultural fields.

Disclosing this during a media interaction here on Tuesday, Dr Narhari Singh Banger, Director (Agriculture), Haryana, said 500 farmers were already undergoing training in that regard.

Dr Banger also launched a statewide campaign to protect cotton crop from pink bollworm attack. He cautioned the farmers that the disease caused around 22 per cent damage to cotton crop in the state last year.

“Cotton crop should be sown between April 15 and May 15 only. The farmers should also take other preventive measures, including proper disposal/storage of cotton crop residue,” he added. The director pointed out that the pink bollworm disease originated from Telangana, but it had been eradicated in that state.

In response to a question, he said a substantial reduction had been recorded in the instances of farm fires in the state as compared to the previous years.

“As many as 6,987 incidents of farm fires were registered in Haryana in 2021, while the number reduced to 3,661 cases in 2022 and 1,857 in 2023,” he said, adding that Rs 5.50 lakh fine had been collected from the farmers this year. Straw-management equipment worth Rs 300 crore had been provided to them at subsidised rates, the Agriculture Director claimed.

Deputy Director (Agriculture), Rohtak, Dr Karam Chand and other officers concerned were also present on the occasion.