In Karnal, no rent on Happy Seeders

Tribune News Service

Karnal, October 9

To encourage farmers shun burning stubble, the Agriculture Department will provide them with Happy Seeders free of cost this season.

A Happy Seeder is a tractor-mounted machine that cuts and lifts crop residue and sows wheat into the bare soil. Besides, it deposits the stubble over the sown area.

On Friday, the Agriculture Department sent 15 Happy Seeders to all six blocks of the district. It had purchased the machines for demonstration purpose in 2018 for making farmers aware of the importance of the crop residue management.

Last year, the department had rented out the machines at Rs 100 per hour. But this season, Happy Seeders will be provided free of cost.

Deputy Commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav said, “The district administration has taken permission from the higher authorities to provide farmers with the machines free of cost.”

He claimed Karnal, which is known for paddy production, became the first district in the state to start the free service. “Farmers can get Happy Seeders from the block agriculture office on the first come, first served basis.”

A Happy Seeder can sow an acre of wheat in an hour and it is more effective in comparison with manual sowing.

“Paddy residues get mixed into the soil and turn into a fine manure, which increases the soil fertility,” the DC said.

Aditya Dabas, Deputy Director (Agriculture), said the department had set up 253 custom hiring centres (CHCs) in the district, while 147 more were in the pipeline.

He added wheat would be sown over 1.72 lakh hectares in the district this season. He exhorted farmers not to use Happy Seeder in wet land.