Expensive stubble-clearing machines fail to enthuse Punjab’s paddy farmers
Farmers with large landholdings can buy costly machines but small and marginal ones, who own up to 5 acres of land, cannot spend much, say officials
CHANDIGARH: The Punjab farmers are not keen to buy the subsidised machines meant for in-situ and ex-situ management of paddy stubble offered by the state government. As against the target of giving 32,100 machines the agriculture department could supply only 17,000 machines. The government has announced to stretch the number further to 35,000 but it seems the need would not arise.
High cost of the machines is keeping farmers away, say agriculture officials. Despite the fact that last date to apply for the machines was extended thrice, there are just few takers for these machines. “There are about 70,000 farmers who applied for 1.10 lakh machines but only one-fourth have come up to avail the subsidised facility,” says an official, pleading anonymity.
“We hope to sell 5,000 more machines, by the end of wheat sowing, for the reason that many farmers buy machines in the off-season and get a discount of 25-30% by the manufacturers and keep the machines for usage in the next season,” adds the officer. So far state has witnessed 45,319 cases of paddy stubble burning and on Sunday alone 2,175 cases were recorded by the state remote sensing centre, which started recorded farm fires from September 15.
The subsidised machines provided to farmers to check farm fires include super-straw management system, smart seeder, happy seeder, super seeder, paddy-straw chopper, reversible plough, zero till drill, baler, rake and shrub master, spatial seed drill, crop reaper, and self-propelled reaper-cumbinders.
Speaking on the reasons for low sale, sources in the department, revealed that cost is a key deterrent as almost all machines are involving farmers’
expenditure of Rs 80,000 to Rs 4 lakh even if they get 50% subsidy. “Big farmers could buy costly machines but small and marginal ones who own up to 5 acres land can’t spend much,” said Jagmohan Singh general secretary of Bhartiya Kisan union (Dakounda), adding that these machines are not for productive usage but preventive. As per a study, small and marginal farmers own about 40% agriculture land.
These machines are funded by the Centre’s grant as this year Rs 240 crore was received for in-situ paddy stubble management. The scheme began in 2018 and so far in the past four years (2018, 2019, 2020 ad 2021) Rs. 1,145 crore have been disbursed and 90,422 machines were given in the past.
Also, we have started inscribing a unique number on every machine that is self-explanatory about the manufacturer’s code, machine type and a number that identifies the farmer in government records. “In this case the machine can’t be resold the problem we have faced in the previous years,” said the officer not willing to be quoted.
In the awareness campaign run by the department the farmers were suggested not to buy the machines in case they don’t want to use them, as it ultimately leads to loss in case the these are resold. After intervention of the Centre’s agency enforcement directorate (ED) around 14% machines were found to be missing from the farmers’ possession (sold during the previous four years) which led to stringent norms by the agriculture department making it foolproof system.
Balers in demand
With the increase in demand for paddy stubble for usage as fodder, plywood, paper and packaging industry and as fuel, balers are in high demand as so far 598 machines have been given to the farmers which is used in binding the lose straw to facilitate transportation. in the past years this machine was in low demand as in 2018 and 2019 no baler could be sold to the farmers and in 2020 and 2021, 224 and 62 machines were sold, which saw a sudden rise the current kharif harvest season.
Of the total machines sold to the farmers super seeder has sold maximum (11,200) followed by zero till drill (3,570) used in wheat cultivation directly after paddy harvest. Crop reapers and shrub master are in least demand by the farmers as 17 and 407 machines were sold across the state, this season.