Latest news with #PUSA44
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
Paddy sowing kicks off in five districts of Punjab's Malwa belt
Paddy sowing began in five districts of Punjab's Malwa belt --Faridkot, Bathinda, Ferozepur, Muktsar and Fazilka -- on Sunday, June 1, in keeping with the early schedule for transplantation notified by the state government last week. Though agriculture department officials could not readily provide data on how much area was covered on the first day, an official said that 'farmers are enthusiastic about the early schedule'. The crop, this season, is expected to be grown over more than 31 lakh hectares (76 lakh acres). The water guzzling crop has seen an increase in area by 2 lakh hectares in the last three years. In March, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, has sent recommendations to the state government for starting transplantation in Muktsar, Faridkot, Mansa, Bathinda, Ferozepur, and Fazilka from June 20. As per the advisory, Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Roopnagar, SAS Nagar, and Fatehgarh Sahib districts were to start from June 23 and Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, SBS Nagar, Ludhiana, Malerkotla, Moga, Patiala, Sangrur and Barnala were to start from June 26. This was suggested to conserve subsoil water which is fast depleting, especially given the weather conditions in June. However, to appease the farmers, the transplantation schedule was pushed back. The state decided to allow transplantation in Faridkot, Bathinda, Ferozepur, Muktsar and Fazilka from June 1, in Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Rupnagar, SAS Nagar, Fatehgarh Sahib, and Hoshiarpur from June 5 and in Ludhiana, Malerkotla, Mansa, Moga, Patiala, Sangrur, Barnala, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar from June 9. Direct seeding of rice (DSR) is permitted statewide from May 15 to 31 but the government has not received very encouraging results for this method. Contrary to the state agriculture department's observation that there is enthusiasm among farmers for early sowing, the PAU has said that farmers have understood the benefits of late sowing of paddy. 'There are short-duration varieties developed by PAU available and the start of transplantation of paddy coinciding with the start of monsoon is a best practice for better quality and crop,' varsity officials said. Officials in the state agriculture department said many farmers still prefer the cultivation of the long-duration, water-guzzling PUSA 44 and PR 126 varieties, despite bans and advisories against their use. PUSA44 gives higher yield out turn ratio (OTR) and is preferred by the rice millers.
Hindustan Times
7 days ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
Paddy sowing from June 1: Punjab farmers opting for water-guzzling varieties a big worry
Chandigarh : Punjab is set to commence paddy transplantation from June 1, despite warnings from agricultural experts about the ecological risks involved and ongoing issues related to banned crop varieties. Officials in the state agriculture department have said many farmers still continue to prefer the cultivation of the long-duration, water-guzzling PUSA 44 and PR 126 varieties, despite bans and advisories against their use. According to people privy of the matter, the government lacks effective mechanisms to monitor or prevent the cultivation of these banned varieties once sowing begins, raising concerns about the sustainability of Punjab's water resources. Punjab's decision to advance the paddy transplantation date —originally delayed to conserve groundwater — has faced strong criticism from agricultural scientists and environmentalists. Despite petitions filed with the National Green Tribunal, the state government issued a notification allowing staggered transplantation beginning June 1. According to the notification, transplantation will start on June 1 in Faridkot, Bathinda, Ferozepur, Muktsar and Fazilka; from June 5 in Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Rupnagar, SAS Nagar, Fatehgarh Sahib, and Hoshiarpur; and from June 9 in Ludhiana, Malerkotla, Mansa, Moga, Patiala, Sangrur, Barnala, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar. Direct seeding of rice (DSR) is permitted statewide from May 15 to 31. Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) former vice-chancellor BS Dhillon condemned the decision, stating: 'Shifting the transplantation date back to June 1 undermines years of effort since 2009 to conserve Punjab's groundwater and pushes the state towards ecological disaster.' Controversy over PUSA 44, PR 126 With the announcement of early sowing, farmers in the state are preferring long-duration water-guzzling PUSA44 which gives the highest rice outturn ratio (OTR) against the short-duration varieties. However, it produces higher crop residue about 15-20% more raising hackles of experts who warned that it might lead to a spurt in farm fires. Though Punjab has banned the variety which has been discontinued by its producer Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), farmers are purchasing seeds from Haryana and Rajasthan. 'The long duration variety of 150 days is suffering varietal fatigue and needs 20% more water for irrigation,' said Gurdev Singh Khush, World Food Prize laureate and eminent rice-breeder fondly known as 'father of rice revolution'. 'We are making efforts that farmers do not cultivate PUSA 44 and also avoid PR 126 which caused problems to the farmers at time of selling the produce during the last season,' said a senior officer in the state agriculture department. The sale of seeds has been banned but there is no mechanism to stop cultivation of banned varieties, he added. A senior agriculture official from Ludhiana said, 'The decision to allow early transplantation appears to appease farmers and rice millers lobbying for higher OTR through PUSA 44. The PAU has alternative short-duration varieties like PR 131 and PR 132, but enforcement of bans on PUSA 44 remains weak.' PAU vice-chancellor Dr SS Gosal said that 22,000 quintals of short-duration paddy seeds have been sold, enough to cover at least 3 lakh acres. He also advised that late transplantation —up to mid-July — could achieve better results while conserving water. Punjab's water crisis Punjab faces a severe groundwater crisis, with an annual decline of nearly one metre. The state's 14.5 lakh irrigation tubewells are critical for crop survival during dry pre-monsoon months. The government's earlier delay in paddy transplantation was meant to coincide with the monsoon onset in July, reducing water demand during the hottest months when evaporation rates and irrigation needs rise by 10-15%. The National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee, has warned that continued groundwater depletion could render Punjab a desert in the near future. Despite these challenges, paddy cultivation covers over 30 lakh hectares annually in Punjab, driven by assured procurement under the minimum support price (MSP), which is set at ₹2,320 per quintal for 2024. Chief minister Bhagwant Mann defended the early transplantation policy, stating it would ensure better-quality crops with lower moisture levels reach mandis, minimising rejection and farmer losses. He said the availability of short-duration varieties and assured farmers that hybrid seeds would not be allowed. Mann also noted that full canals would support irrigation, reducing dependence on groundwater.
