Punjab: Malwa farmers not keen to sow paddy in dry conditions

A day after the paddy transplant phase commenced as per the Punjab government’s decision in five districts of the south Malwa region, farmers are not keen to start early rice sowing.

As per the Punjab government’s directives, farmers are allowed to transplant paddy in Bathinda, Faridkot, Muktsar, Fazilka and Ferozepur from June 1. The region is likely to cover about 8-9 lakh hectares under rice cultivation.

Information gathered from the region on Monday says there was hardly any rice sowing activity in the area.

Field officers of the state agriculture department say that farmers are apprehensive that the advancing sowing period may adversely impact quality and yield. Chief agriculture officers of the areas said that sowing of the water-intensive crop this season is likely to commence as per the past trend, when farmers start transplanting rice saplings from June 10 onwards.

They say the transplant trend may commence in another week, if rains hit the region, as farmers are not showing any interest in paddy sowing in dry climatic conditions.

A progressive rice grower, Baldev Singh from Bajak village in Bathinda said that farmers were not convinced logically about advancing the sowing period from June 1.

“If a farmer starts transplanting non-basmati varieties like PR 126, PR 131, etc, as per the decision of the Punjab government, the crop will be ready for harvesting in 93-111 days. Will the climatic conditions towards the maturity period have no impact on the quality of grains and the overall yield. Decision makers should have taken the eminent rice breeders before asking to start sowing rice early,” he said.

This article has been republished from The Hindustan Times.