Latest news with #Pusa-44
Indian Express
21-05-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Banned Pusa-44 finds its way to paddy fields in Punjab — with help from Haryana
Despite a ban by the Punjab government on Pusa-44, the longest-duration paddy variety, farmers in Punjab are readying its nursery after obtaining seeds from neighbouring Haryana. One such farmer from Patiala, Ranjit Singh, says, 'We know it is not allowed, but our livelihood depends on it. The yield is 5–6 quintals higher than that of the short-duration varieties, and millers happily take this variety. What else can we do?'. Ranjit said he procured the seeds from Karnal in Haryana through known contacts. 'it is not banned in that state. If you know someone, you can get it. You just have to avoid getting caught while bringing it into Punjab.' The Punjab government in April banned the sale of Pusa-44 and hybrid paddy varieties. Some farmers have challenged the ban on hybrid seeds. Ranjit said he used to grow hybrid seeds, but could not get them from Haryana because several dealers were selling full kits that included seed and multiple costly sprays. 'The kits were expensive, so I decided to go with Pusa-44, which offers nearly the same yield. Its seed is much cheaper in comparison. I bought Pusa-44 seed at Rs 120 per kg, and for one acre, I need about Rs 480 worth of seed. My nursery is now 10 days old, and I plan to transplant it into the field by June 8 or 9.' Another farmer, Major Singh from Ludhiana, too procured Pusa-44 seed from Haryana, as most dealers in Punjab are not selling it. 'Those who still have some stock, sell it only to people they know well,' he added. Farmers like Jatinder Singh from Sangrur, Jeet Singh from Barnala, and several others echoed similar sentiments, citing high yield, strong grain quality, and preference from millers as reasons for continuing with Pusa-44. Pusa-44, a long-duration paddy variety released by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in 1993, was once extensively grown across Punjab. Its popularity was driven by yields of 32–36 quintals per acre and strong demand from rice millers. However, its long maturity period of over 155 days requires seven to eight more irrigation cycles than short-duration varieties. This leads to a huge burden on groundwater, narrows the window between harvesting and wheat sowing, and contributes significantly to stubble burning — a major factor in North India's worsening air pollution. To address this, the Punjab government banned Pusa-44 cultivation in November 2023 and promoted short-duration, water-efficient alternatives like PR 126 and PR 121. But enforcing the ban has proven to be a major challenge. Hard to trace paddy flow from Haryana: Officials Many wholesalers and retailers continue to prepare and sell paddy seed in Karnal, a known seed hub. Sellers there admitted that Pusa-44 seeds are still sold over the counter. 'We don't advertise it, but farmers, especially from Punjab, know about it. They are willing to pay a premium. Some local farmers even grow the seed specifically for them,' said Balwinder Singh, a seed producer. Another seller added that private growers are filling the gap while large companies have officially stopped producing Pusa-44. 'It is not hard to find. Farmers from Punjab often visit during the off-season, collect small quantities, and distribute them informally.' While some seeds are packed in labelled bags, farmers often request plain packaging to avoid regulatory scrutiny in Punjab, they said. Officials from the Punjab Agriculture Department admitted that enforcement of the ban remains inconsistent. 'Our teams conduct regular inspections, but tracking informal seed networks is difficult. When seeds are exchanged between farmers or brought in from Haryana in small quantities, it is hard to trace,' said an official in Chandigarh. They also acknowledged that the issue goes beyond enforcement. 'As long as market economics favour Pusa-44, farmers will continue finding ways to cultivate it.' A senior agricultural economist from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) emphasised the need for a deeper, more practical solution. 'If farmers prefer hybrid paddy varieties due to better returns, they should be allowed to grow all recommended hybrids. At the end of the day, it is an economic decision. Farmers are doing the math, and when they are getting free power for irrigation of longer duration varieties with high yield, why wouldn't they go for higher-yielding varieties?' He added that if millers are concerned about hybrids giving lower outturn (processing yield), the government should step in — either by offering incentives to millers or by adjusting the acceptable outturn percentage. 'While the short-term benefits of growing Pusa-44 are clear to farmers, the long-term environmental costs — stubble burning, excessive water use, and worsening air quality — threaten Punjab's agricultural sustainability. Until policies better reflect on-ground realities and economic drivers, farmers will continue to turn to banned seeds for better harvests,' another expert from the Punjab Agriculture Department said on the condition of anonymity.
Indian Express
20-05-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Pusa-44 banned in Punjab to save groundwater, but ground reality shows its unabated flow from Haryana
Despite the ban by the Punjab government on Pusa-44, the longest-duration paddy variety, farmers in Punjab are still obtaining its seeds from Haryana. The government in April banned the sale of Pusa-44, which significantly burdens Punjab's groundwater, as well as hybrid paddy varieties, which offer yields comparable to, or even higher than, Pusa-44 in just four months. Ranjit Singh, a farmer from Patiala, said he has planted a nursery of the paddy variety Pusa-44 this season despite the ban. 'We know it is not allowed, but our livelihood depends on it. The yield is 5–6 quintals higher than that of the short-duration varieties, and millers happily take this variety. What else can we do?' he asked. Ranjit said he procured the seeds from Karnal in Haryana through known contacts. 'There are farmers there who grow the seed for us. It is sold openly since it is not banned there. If you know someone, you can get it. You just have to avoid getting caught when bringing it into Punjab, where it is banned.' Ranjit said he used to grow hybrid seeds from various companies, but could not get them from Haryana because several dealers were selling full kits that included seed and multiple costly sprays. 'The kits were expensive, so I decided to go with PUSA-44, which offers nearly the same yield. Its seed is much cheaper in comparison. I bought Pusa-44 seed at Rs 120 per kg, and for one acre, I need about Rs 480 worth of seed. My nursery is now 10 days old, and I plan to transplant it into the field by June 8 or 9.' Another farmer, Major Singh from Ludhiana, said he also procured Pusa-44 seed from a grower in Haryana, as most dealers in Punjab are not selling it. 'Those who do, they sell it only provide it to people they know well,' he added. Farmers like Jatinder Singh from Sangrur, Jeet Singh from Barnala, and several others echoed similar sentiments, citing high yield, strong grain quality, and preference from millers as key reasons for continuing with Pusa-44 despite the ban. Despite environmental concerns and a formal ban, a steady flow of the variety continues to enter the state. Farmers, seed sellers, and agricultural experts all paint a picture of a policy quietly being defied on the ground. Pusa-44, a high-yielding, long-duration paddy variety released by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in 1993, was once extensively grown across Punjab. Its popularity was driven by yields of 32–36 quintals per acre and strong demand from rice millers. However, its long maturity period of over 155 days requires seven to eight more irrigation cycles than short-duration varieties. This leads to a huge burden on groundwater, delays harvesting, narrows the window between paddy harvesting and wheat sowing, and contributes significantly to stubble burning — a major factor in North India's worsening air pollution. To address this, the Punjab government banned Pusa-44 cultivation in November 2023 and promoted short-duration, water-efficient alternatives like PR 126 and PR 121. But enforcing the ban has proven to be a major challenge. Hard to trace paddy flow from Haryana: Officials Many wholesalers and retailers continue to prepare and sell paddy seed in the Karnal district of Haryana, a known seed hub. Sellers there admitted that Pusa-44 seeds are still sold over the counter. 'We don't advertise it, but farmers, especially from Punjab, know about it. They are willing to pay a premium. Some local farmers even grow the seed specifically for them,' Balwinder Singh, a seed producer. Another seller added that private growers are filling the gap while large companies have officially stopped producing Pusa-44. 'It is not hard to find. Farmers from Punjab often visit during the off-season, collect small quantities, and distribute them informally.' While some seeds are packed in labelled bags, farmers often request plain packaging to avoid regulatory scrutiny in Punjab, they said. Officials from the Punjab Agriculture Department admitted that enforcement of the ban remains inconsistent. 'Our teams conduct regular inspections, but tracking informal seed networks is difficult. When seeds are exchanged between farmers or brought in from Haryana in small quantities, it is hard to trace,' said an official in Chandigarh. They also acknowledged that the issue goes beyond enforcement. 'As long as market economics favour Pusa-44, farmers will continue finding ways to cultivate it.' A senior agricultural economist from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, emphasised the need for a deeper, more practical solution. 'If farmers prefer hybrid paddy varieties due to better returns, they should be allowed to grow all recommended hybrids. At the end of the day, it is an economic decision. Farmers are doing the math, and when they are getting free power for irrigation of longer duration varieties with high yield, why wouldn't they go for higher-yielding varieties?' He added that if millers are concerned about hybrids giving lower outturn (processing yield), the government should step in — either by offering incentives to millers or by adjusting the acceptable outturn percentage. 'While the short-term benefits of growing Pusa-44 are clear to farmers, the long-term environmental costs — stubble burning, excessive water use, and worsening air quality — threaten Punjab's agricultural sustainability. Until policies better reflect on-ground realities and economic drivers, farmers will continue to turn to banned seeds for better harvests,' another expert from the Punjab Agriculture Department said on the condition of anonymity.
Time of India
20-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
High court reserves order on Punjab's ban on hybrid paddy seeds
Bathinda: With less than two weeks left to transplanting paddy in Punjab, a bench of the Punjab and Haryana high court on Monday reserved its order over a petition challenging a ban on hybrid seeds of paddy. The arguments had been closed, but the court did not fix a date for pronouncing the order. The Federation of Seed Industry of India (FSII) challenged Punjab govt's decision to ban hybrid paddy seeds in 2019. This decision was later amended, but the Punjab agriculture department again banned the cultivation of Pusa-44 and hybrid varieties on April 7 this year, aiming to safeguard groundwater from depletion and tackle pollution. Another petition was filed in the court over the matter recently, and it was clubbed with the 2019 petition. Rice millers were against the cultivation of hybrid varieties, claiming they produced more broken rice. Certain farmers and FSII were of the view that hybrid varieties use less water and produce more paddy. During the last hearing on May 13, Punjab Rice Millers' Association president Tarsem Saini was impleaded as a respondent in the petition. FSII chairman Ajai Rana said as the court had reserved its verdict on the Punjab govt's decision to ban hybrid rice, the seed industry was hopeful of a balanced outcome that recognised the role of science and innovation in agriculture. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 나이들어 노안+백내장 절대 방치 하지 마세요! 부산백내장노안 전문안과 더 알아보기 Undo "Hybrid rice is a proven solution to meet the dual challenge of increasing productivity and conserving natural resources. It offers 5–6 quintals more yield per acre, short-duration varieties mature faster, and supports direct seeding of rice method, which reduces water use by 30% and lowers emissions. These hybrids are also bred for better tolerance to abiotic stress and resistance to major pests, helping farmers manage risks more effectively," he said. All hybrids in the market have undergone rigorous three-year trials under ICAR's All India Coordinated Rice Improvement Project and comply with national standards, including the 67% out-turn ratio mandated by FCI, he added. Saini said the quality of rice from hybrid varieties was below the standard, with the broken ratio being much higher. He said they wanted hybrid varieties of rice to be milled under the supervision of a state-level monitoring committee. The federation also approached the authorities in Punjab and Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal, urging them to reconsider their decision to ban the cultivation of hybrid rice in the state. Paddy, including basmati, is transplanted on nearly 32 lakh hectares in Punjab, and there are varied figures for hybrid varieties, with Punjab Agriculture University pegging hybrid varieties at only 5-6% of the total area under paddy. Millers claimed they were not getting the required 67% head rice from hybrid varieties, as more broken rice was produced from these varieties. Out of 67kg rice to be delivered to FCI after custom milling, 25% broken is allowed, but in these varieties, it was turning out at more than 35%. After milling (de-husking and polishing, turning brown rice into white rice), there was also the issue of chalkiness due to incomplete starch and protein accumulation. The federation stated that on an average, hybrid rice delivered 15%-20% higher yield over other varieties, translating to Rs 8,000 - 10,000/acre incremental income opportunity for Punjab rice farmers. Due to the shorter crop cycle of 120-125 days (seed to grain), hybrid rice saves 20-25% groundwater and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
