Direct paddy sowing gets good response

“As the response from Gurdaspur,Firozpur,Jalandhar,Patiala,Ropar,Moga and Ferozpur districts has been quite good,many farmers are interested in this technique. Earlier,farmers were quite reluctant to adopt this system. But this season,for the first time,the response has been very good,” said Sohal.

There are several reasons to encourage direct sowing of paddy — serious labour pangs in the state for the last couple of years and the ever-drying underground water are a few problems,said Sohla. This technique not only saves Rs 6,000 production cost per hectare but also saves upto 60 per cent under groundwater consumption while farmers gets almost the same yield as they would have under the traditional technique.

Earlier,lakhs of migrants from UP and Bihar used to come to the state during paddy sowing season,but the number has decreased drastically now. Thus,farmers are left with no option but to take up the new technique.

“In Jalandhar,many farmers have been implementing direct sowing. The department has been providing all technical help to them,” said Agricultural Development Officer Dr Naresh Gulati.

A farmer,Mahender Singh of Karari village,said that last year,he had used the new technique over his three-acre land. This time,he would dedicate around eight to 10 acres area under direct sowing.