Karnal falls short of direct seeded rice target

Karnal district has fallen short of its target for direct seeded rice (DSR) cultivation this season, as against the set target of bringing 30,000 acres under the DSR technique, only 2,724 farmers have registered 16,247.42 acres with the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department.

As per officials, the DSR method is water-efficient and a cost-saving alternative to the conventional paddy transplanting process. It helps reduce groundwater depletion, curb labour costs, and ensure timely sowing.

The data of the department reveals that 656 farmers registered DSR on 5,199.28 acres in Assandh block, 615 farmers on 3,609.75 acres in Gharaunda, 404 farmers on 1,588.54 acres in Indri block, 415 farmers on 2,322.39 acres in Karnal block, 344 farmers on 1,881.49 acres in Nilokheri, and 290 farmers on 1,652.94 acres in Nissing block.

Agriculture officials cited multiple factors for the shortfall, including heavy pre-monsoon rain, apprehensions among farmers about yield stability, and the continued preference for traditional transplantation methods. Some farmers also expressed concerns over weed management in DSR, which requires specific herbicide application and close monitoring in the early growth stages.

“We conducted awareness campaigns as well as farmers’ training programmes across the district, but due to rainfall in the last week of May and the first fortnight of June, farmers preferred the traditional method of paddy transplantation,” said Dr Wazir Singh, Deputy Director Agriculture (DDA).

To ensure transparency and eligibility for government incentives, the department has begun verifying the registered DSR fields. Officials confirmed that the verification would be completed by August 19, after which subsidy claims and other benefits would be processed.

“So far, 4,975 acres have been verified. A sum of Rs 4,500 per acre will be transferred to farmers’ accounts after verification,” said the DDA.

On the other hand, agricultural experts and farmers consider the delay in disbursing the Rs 4,500 per acre incentive as one of the major reasons behind the shortfall in achieving the target. “I cultivated DSR on 7 acres in 2024, but the incentive was not paid until May 2025, almost nine months after paddy harvesting. The same happened with thousands of farmers who had shunned the traditional method of paddy transplantation to save water, but this year the delay in disbursing benefits discouraged farmers,” said Dr Virender Lather, former Principal Scientist, ICAR-IARI, New Delhi.

He also said that pre-monsoon rainfall in May and June was another reason for the lower adoption of DSR. “Normally, DSR sowing is recommended between May 20 and June 10. If there is heavy rain during this period, the weed menace becomes unmanageable,” he said.