Ambala farmers start paddy sowing with DSR technique; black marketing of seeds, machines an issue

AMBALA: Some progressive farmers of Ambala district have started sowing paddy with (direct seeded rice) DSR technique in some villages here on Monday.
Due to the shortage of farm labourers and majority of labourers returning to their home states, the farmers are now shifting to the DSR technique in Ambala.
The agriculture officials said they demanded around 250 DSR machines for Ambala district so that the area can be covered with paddy transplanting in the absence of manual labour.
The farmers told due to shortage, the black marketing of machines has started in the region.
A progressive farmer Sukhminder who runs a custom hiring center (CHC) of Kisan Club Sapehra village said, “We have started paddy transplanting in our village with the DSR technique using the machine on Monday. Due to shortage of machines, I had to bring it on rent and paid Rs 575 for transplanting paddy on 5 acres. I brought the machine in the night at around 8 pm on Sunday, and on Monday at 9 am, I started receiving calls from the company to return the machine.”
“We went to purchase a best quality machine but it is not available as the dealers have already booked the same. The dealers will sell machines at higher rates”, said Sukhminder.
Highlighting another issue, farmer Vinod Chauhan of Khuda Kalan village said, “The black marketing of paddy seeds has started. The seed which was earlier sold at Rs 40 per kg has crossed Rs 100 per kg now. If we transplant paddy seedlings manually, it takes around 3-5 kg seed per acre, but the DSR technique takes around 8 kg seed per acre. With DSR technique, we require around 3 kg per acre seed extra, which is resulting in its black marketing.”
Ambala deputy director agriculture (DDA) Dr Girish Nagpal said, “Sensing that the labourer could return back to their states, we had raised a demand for 250 DSR machines for Ambala district. The DSR technique saves labour and water and also reduces cultivation cost. The department is considering our demand and so far, we have received no machines. The farmers are free to procure machines from producers who have a system of selling them as per demand.”
About the paddy seed issue, DDA Girish said “On Saturday, some shops were raided in Ambala City grain market and their sale purchase bills were scrutinized. The detailed report in this regard has been sent to the headquarters. The margin earned by seed dealers has been noted. Their needs to be a state-level action plan against increased cost of paddy seed.”
Sources told the main contention is the higher cost of paddy seed being issued by the seed producers mainly based in Kaithal, Kurukshetra, and Karnal.