Ajay Joshi

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 2

Contrary to the target of the Agriculture Department to cover over 32,000 hectares of land under the direct paddy sowing method or Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR) method, only 21,670 hectare of land could be covered under the DSR method this year. The expected figure was double the last year’s figure as only 16,800 hectares land was covered under the DSR method.

In-addition, the area under paddy cultivation also got decreased by nearly 2,000 hectare this year. Despite lockdown, last year, 1,73,000 hectare land was covered under paddy cultivation, and this season, the area got reduced by 1,71,600 hectare. Interestingly, more number of farmers showed interest in sowing Basmati rice and its area under cultivation also increased by 900 hectares. The total area remained 21,900 hectares.

In order to replenish depleting water level, the administration was expected to include 32,000 hectares of land under the DSR as the technique saves groundwater up to 25 per cent while farmers need not to do puddling which also saves labour costs.

But, despite various camps being organised to sensitise farmers to sow the paddy crop directly, a majority of farmers opted for the traditional method of sowing. Besides, only 25,000 hectare land was cultivated using machines, said, Agricultural Officer, Surinder Singh. Apparently, poor power supply, delayed monsoon and water shortage forced farmers to reduce area under the paddy cultivation this season.

Malkiat Singh, a farmer from Daulatpur village said, last year he sowed paddy in around 40 acres land, whereas this year the shortage of water forced him to reduce the area to 25 acres. Along with him, farmers in various parts of the district reported that their fields had developed cracks due to unavailability of enough water, which damaged his crop.

Charanjit Singh (80), a farmer from Jandusingha said in the last 40 years, it was for the first time that the farmers faced shortage of water to this extent. The erratic power supply not only delayed the sowing period but also forced farmers to reduce their area under paddy.

Most of the Farmers chose traditional way of sowing paddy

• In order to replenish the depleting water table of the region, the administration was expected to include 32,000 hectares of land under the DSR as the technique saves groundwater up to 25 per cent while farmers also do need not to do puddling which further saves the labour costs.
• But, despite various camps being organised to sensitise farmers to sow the paddy crop directly, a majority of farmers opted for the traditional method of sowing. Despite lockdown, last year, 1,73,000 hectare land was covered under paddy cultivation, and this season, the area got reduced by 1,71,600 hectare.