Paddy transplantation to begin on June 10 in Punjab
CHANDIGARH: The Punjab agriculture department has decided to advance the start of paddy transplantation in the upcoming kharif season.
The decision to begin the sowing on June 10 came considering the shortage of labour during the ongoing pandemic. The decision will also facilitate staggered paddy sowing so that social distancing protocols could be maintained. The state authorities are cautious as the virus has spread its tentacles in the rural areas of Punjab.
In 2020, the paddy sowing had begun on June 13 and in 2019, it was mandated to start paddy transplantation from June 20 in a bid to conserve subsoil water which fulfils 85% irrigation needs in the state.
The Punjab government had passed a legislation to ensure that all farmers adhere to the transplantation schedule, but it was left with no options but to advance the process due to the pandemic.
“We have no other option right now. There is acute labour shortage, so we have decided to advance the paddy transplantation,” said SS Sidhu, director, agriculture.
The state government’s legislation that paddy wouldn’t be sown before June 20 outlines that late transplant is complemented by monsoon and there is not much dependence on the subsoil water. However, in
2019, when the campaign for parliament elections was going on, Punjab CM, on the demand of farmers, had announced to advance the process by a week to June 13.
By an estimate of state agriculture department, 12.5 lakh labour heads are required to sow paddy in 30 days’ time frame. “But so many people to transplant paddy in the state are not available,” Sidhu said.
Paddy is a major kharif crop in state, which is expected to be sown across 70 lakh acres in the forthcoming season.
In the previous seasons, PAU had been taking a stand for not changing transplant schedule keeping in view acute fall of subsoil water table across the state and a report by central ground water board asking state machinery to regulate water usage. However, this year, PAU vice-chancellor BS Dhillon said that Covid crises are worsening and the virus is spreading fast in the rural Punjab. “This is the least we could do to help our farmers,” he V-C said.
Direct seeing of rice on 30 lakh acres
The agriculture department has decided that out of total area of 66 lakh acres under paddy in the ensuing season, direct seeding of rice will be done on at least 30 lakh acres. In the previous season, 12.5 lakh acres were under the DSR method. “The trials conducted in the previous season have shown good results, and we are ready to increase the area,” said the director.
The department has pegged the area under premium quality basmati paddy at 13 lakh hectares, an increase of onethird in total area.
The sowing of aromatic variety begins from first week of July and that of DSR from the mid of June.