FARMERS IN PATIALA VILLAGES IGNORE PAU ADVISORY, START DIRECT SOWING OF PADDY

NABHA: Farmers in Patiala district’s villages of Kallarmajri, Thuhi and many others have started sowing paddy, using the direct seeding rice (DSR) methodology, ignoring Punjab Agricultural University (PAU’S) advise of doing so only from June 1. Most of them lack the specialised equipment to do so, and claim that they are doing this early, apprehending labour shortage.

Normal sowing of paddy is allowed to start from May 10 and transplantation can be started from June 10. These are both 10 days earlier from previous years.

Farmers in some villages also claim to be modifying wheat seed drills to sow paddy. In Thuhi village, a Super Seeder, used for wheat, has been used for direct sowing of paddy. Farmers in the region have uploaded several videos of themselves on Youtube, while they undertake such changes from traditional agricultural practices.

Government officials, however, are not impressed and added that this technique entailed the problem of higher weed growth. The use of weedicides, in proper quantity and at the correct time, was critical with this technique, they added.

“PAU has advised June 1 as the date to start paddy direct seeding, as it also takes into account climatic conditions. Farmers should follow it. Farmers have also been advised to use it on only 20% of their field size, as it is new,” said SS Walia, Patiala chief agricultural officer, adding, “There are no instructions to forcibly stop farmers from direct sowing.”he added, “On being advised, farmers tell us that they will plough the field and replant paddy using the old technique, if they do not see favourable results by June 1st week.”