Coverage up, but Punjab misses target for direct sowing of rice

The state's Agriculture Department has once again fallen short of its ambitious target for direct sowing of rice (DSR) during the kharif season. Against the goal of 5 lakh acres, only 3.41 lakh acres were covered, a shortfall of 32 per cent.

Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian said 26,896 farmers adopted DSR this year, compared to 25,853 last year. The area under DSR has increased by 16 per cent, rising from 2.93 lakh acres in 2025 to 3.41 lakh acres this season. Financial support of Rs 40 crore has been earmarked, up from Rs 35.16 crore last year. Each farmer receives Rs 1,500 per acre through direct benefit transfer.

Khudian noted that paddy transplantation was still underway and expected to continue until mid-July, which might further increase DSR coverage. He directed field officials to hold special camps for on-spot registration and verification of bank details to ensure smooth payments.

Experts say the ideal window for DSR is from the third week of May to early June. The technique eliminates puddling and nursery transplantation, reducing irrigation water use by 15-20 per cent and cutting labour costs.

Punjab's groundwater crisis underscores the urgency of adopting water-efficient methods. The state extracts 156.36 per cent of its annual groundwater recharge, with 111 of 153 administrative blocks classified as "overexploited". Conventional paddy cultivation requires 3,000-5,000 litres of water to produce 1 kg rice, depending on soil type and sowing time, according to the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices.