Latest news with #PR126
Hindustan Times
13-06-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Sangrur farmers turn to diversification, move beyond traditional wheat-paddy cycle
As paddy sowing in Sangrur, Ludhiana, Malerkotla, Mansa, Moga, Barnala, Patiala, Kapurthala, Jalandhar and Nawanshahr commenced on Monday, some farmers in Sangrur are demonstrating a successful shift away from the conventional wheat and paddy cultivation cycle achieving higher profitability while championing sustainable farming practices. Jagdeep Singh (50) from Kanoi village has diversified his crops on his 16 acres. While still dedicating 12 acres to Basmati or PR 126 paddy in another farm, he is cultivating green gram (moong), mustard, black chickpeas, and sugarcane. His most notable venture is sugar-free wheat, which was sold at ₹7,000 per quintal. 'We earn more than traditional crops wheat and paddy,' Jagdeep said. Jagdeep encourages other farmers to cease stubble burning and manage it with a happy seeder. His methods have inspired about 40% of the people of Kanoi village to cease stubble burning. Another example is Jasvir Singh (51) from Cheema village. Managing 45 acres, Jasvir began experimenting with different crops three years ago. Sugarcane also earned him profit, yielding ₹4 to ₹5 lakh per acre, significantly more than the ₹1 to 1.5 lakh offered by wheat and paddy. His diversified area includes garlic, green peas, and sugarcane, with high-quality jaggery selling for ₹1,200 per quintal. He also cultivates white and black chickpeas, green chilli, and maize. Jasvir has ventured into cultivating dragon fruit, a rarity in the district, and a variety of fruit trees like mango, guava, and pomegranate. He is also testing flaxseeds, ginger, and carom seeds. While 25 acres are still allocated to government-recommended paddy varieties like PR126, Jasvir refrains from stubble burning, instead cultivating potatoes after the paddy harvest, advocating for crop rotation for higher profits and environmental protection. Adding to the list of progressive farmers is Ranbir Singh (63), a retired Lieutenant Commander in the Navy from Balwar Khurd village. Singh now encourages other farmers to diversify. On his 63 acres, he initially dedicated 25 acres to sugarcane and maize. However, with the closure of a mill in Dhuri, he has diversified 15 acres into other crops now, while the remaining acres are dedicated to wheat and paddy. 'I don't think paddy is a sustainable crop now, I'm trying to move out of it, I'm experimenting with maize,' he states. Ranbir also does not burn stubble and uses a happy seeder. Agriculture development officer Narinderpal Singh said that a pilot project is being done to encourage farmers to cultivate kharif maize, a shift from traditional paddy sowing. He added that farmers are encouraged to form rural entrepreneurship and they are provided machines on subsidy under crop residue management scheme to start the business of generating straw bales.
Hindustan Times
09-06-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Punjab: Farmers resist shift to early-maturing paddy amid procurement concerns
Farmers in Punjab are expressing reluctance to adopt early-maturing paddy varieties such as PR126, citing concerns over the government's procurement timeline that, they say, does not align with the crop's harvest period. Paddy sowing in districts such as Sangrur, Ludhiana, Malerkotla, Mansa, Moga, Barnala, Patiala, Kapurthala, Jalandhar and Nawanshahr commenced on Monday. Despite a state-imposed ban on long-duration paddy varieties, farmers have continued sowing the water-guzzling, long-duration PUSA 44 variety. The state government has advised farmers for a shift to short-duration varieties like PR126 and PR121. These varieties mature 15-20 days earlier than PUSA 44, offering benefits like reduced groundwater use and less stubble burning. However, farmers argue that the early harvest of these new varieties does not align with the government's procurement timeline, which typically begins in October. 'If we sow PR126, it will be ready by September, but there won't be any procurement in the mandis at that time,' said a farmer from Laddi village in Sangrur. 'Last year, our crops went unsold and got damaged. This will happen again,' he added. The government's policy aims to address the growing environmental crisis, including water scarcity and air pollution caused by late-harvest paddy. But farmers remain skeptical, citing last year's experience, where those who adopted PR126 faced procurement delays, leading to financial losses. Agricultural experts and farm bodies have urged the state and central governments to adjust procurement schedules or create dedicated channels for early-maturing varieties. 'Promoting a new crop variety without addressing market linkage issues will only deepen farmer distress,' said an agriculture economist. BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan) president Joginder Singh Ugrahan emphasized the growing distrust between farmers and the government. 'The government shouldn't dictate what we grow,' he said. 'Sheller owners prefer PUSA 44 due to its higher rice recovery rate, which is why they buy it readily. Without MSP guarantees for alternative varieties like basmati, there's no incentive to shift,' he added. Ugrahan also raised concerns about the government's push to replace paddy with maize. 'What if the new crop yields poorly? Will the government compensate us?' he asked. He called for a more farmer-centric approach, suggesting that the government offer an MSP for basmati rice, which could provide a viable alternative to both PUSA 44 and maize. Responding to these concerns, Sangrur chief agriculture officer Dharminderjit Singh assured that the government's procurement system would adjust to early-harvested crops. 'The crops will be procured when the mandis open. There is no issue with the government's procurement process,' he said. Singh admitted that the government does not currently have a compensation plan for farmers who face losses from sowing alternative varieties. He added that these newer paddy varieties incur lower costs due to their natural resistance to pests, reducing the need for expensive sprays.
Hindustan Times
02-06-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Paddy sowing kicks off in five districts of Punjab's Malwa belt
Paddy sowing began in five districts of Punjab's Malwa belt --Faridkot, Bathinda, Ferozepur, Muktsar and Fazilka -- on Sunday, June 1, in keeping with the early schedule for transplantation notified by the state government last week. Though agriculture department officials could not readily provide data on how much area was covered on the first day, an official said that 'farmers are enthusiastic about the early schedule'. The crop, this season, is expected to be grown over more than 31 lakh hectares (76 lakh acres). The water guzzling crop has seen an increase in area by 2 lakh hectares in the last three years. In March, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, has sent recommendations to the state government for starting transplantation in Muktsar, Faridkot, Mansa, Bathinda, Ferozepur, and Fazilka from June 20. As per the advisory, Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Roopnagar, SAS Nagar, and Fatehgarh Sahib districts were to start from June 23 and Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, SBS Nagar, Ludhiana, Malerkotla, Moga, Patiala, Sangrur and Barnala were to start from June 26. This was suggested to conserve subsoil water which is fast depleting, especially given the weather conditions in June. However, to appease the farmers, the transplantation schedule was pushed back. The state decided to allow transplantation in Faridkot, Bathinda, Ferozepur, Muktsar and Fazilka from June 1, in Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Rupnagar, SAS Nagar, Fatehgarh Sahib, and Hoshiarpur from June 5 and in Ludhiana, Malerkotla, Mansa, Moga, Patiala, Sangrur, Barnala, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar from June 9. Direct seeding of rice (DSR) is permitted statewide from May 15 to 31 but the government has not received very encouraging results for this method. Contrary to the state agriculture department's observation that there is enthusiasm among farmers for early sowing, the PAU has said that farmers have understood the benefits of late sowing of paddy. 'There are short-duration varieties developed by PAU available and the start of transplantation of paddy coinciding with the start of monsoon is a best practice for better quality and crop,' varsity officials said. Officials in the state agriculture department said many farmers still prefer the cultivation of the long-duration, water-guzzling PUSA 44 and PR 126 varieties, despite bans and advisories against their use. PUSA44 gives higher yield out turn ratio (OTR) and is preferred by the rice millers.
Hindustan Times
28-05-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Paddy sowing from June 1: Punjab farmers opting for water-guzzling varieties a big worry
Chandigarh : Punjab is set to commence paddy transplantation from June 1, despite warnings from agricultural experts about the ecological risks involved and ongoing issues related to banned crop varieties. Officials in the state agriculture department have said many farmers still continue to prefer the cultivation of the long-duration, water-guzzling PUSA 44 and PR 126 varieties, despite bans and advisories against their use. According to people privy of the matter, the government lacks effective mechanisms to monitor or prevent the cultivation of these banned varieties once sowing begins, raising concerns about the sustainability of Punjab's water resources. Punjab's decision to advance the paddy transplantation date —originally delayed to conserve groundwater — has faced strong criticism from agricultural scientists and environmentalists. Despite petitions filed with the National Green Tribunal, the state government issued a notification allowing staggered transplantation beginning June 1. According to the notification, transplantation will start on June 1 in Faridkot, Bathinda, Ferozepur, Muktsar and Fazilka; from June 5 in Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Rupnagar, SAS Nagar, Fatehgarh Sahib, and Hoshiarpur; and from June 9 in Ludhiana, Malerkotla, Mansa, Moga, Patiala, Sangrur, Barnala, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar. Direct seeding of rice (DSR) is permitted statewide from May 15 to 31. Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) former vice-chancellor BS Dhillon condemned the decision, stating: 'Shifting the transplantation date back to June 1 undermines years of effort since 2009 to conserve Punjab's groundwater and pushes the state towards ecological disaster.' Controversy over PUSA 44, PR 126 With the announcement of early sowing, farmers in the state are preferring long-duration water-guzzling PUSA44 which gives the highest rice outturn ratio (OTR) against the short-duration varieties. However, it produces higher crop residue about 15-20% more raising hackles of experts who warned that it might lead to a spurt in farm fires. Though Punjab has banned the variety which has been discontinued by its producer Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), farmers are purchasing seeds from Haryana and Rajasthan. 'The long duration variety of 150 days is suffering varietal fatigue and needs 20% more water for irrigation,' said Gurdev Singh Khush, World Food Prize laureate and eminent rice-breeder fondly known as 'father of rice revolution'. 'We are making efforts that farmers do not cultivate PUSA 44 and also avoid PR 126 which caused problems to the farmers at time of selling the produce during the last season,' said a senior officer in the state agriculture department. The sale of seeds has been banned but there is no mechanism to stop cultivation of banned varieties, he added. A senior agriculture official from Ludhiana said, 'The decision to allow early transplantation appears to appease farmers and rice millers lobbying for higher OTR through PUSA 44. The PAU has alternative short-duration varieties like PR 131 and PR 132, but enforcement of bans on PUSA 44 remains weak.' PAU vice-chancellor Dr SS Gosal said that 22,000 quintals of short-duration paddy seeds have been sold, enough to cover at least 3 lakh acres. He also advised that late transplantation —up to mid-July — could achieve better results while conserving water. Punjab's water crisis Punjab faces a severe groundwater crisis, with an annual decline of nearly one metre. The state's 14.5 lakh irrigation tubewells are critical for crop survival during dry pre-monsoon months. The government's earlier delay in paddy transplantation was meant to coincide with the monsoon onset in July, reducing water demand during the hottest months when evaporation rates and irrigation needs rise by 10-15%. The National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee, has warned that continued groundwater depletion could render Punjab a desert in the near future. Despite these challenges, paddy cultivation covers over 30 lakh hectares annually in Punjab, driven by assured procurement under the minimum support price (MSP), which is set at ₹2,320 per quintal for 2024. Chief minister Bhagwant Mann defended the early transplantation policy, stating it would ensure better-quality crops with lower moisture levels reach mandis, minimising rejection and farmer losses. He said the availability of short-duration varieties and assured farmers that hybrid seeds would not be allowed. Mann also noted that full canals would support irrigation, reducing dependence on groundwater.
Indian Express
20-05-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Pusa-44 banned in Punjab to save groundwater, but ground reality shows its unabated flow from Haryana
Despite the ban by the Punjab government on Pusa-44, the longest-duration paddy variety, farmers in Punjab are still obtaining its seeds from Haryana. The government in April banned the sale of Pusa-44, which significantly burdens Punjab's groundwater, as well as hybrid paddy varieties, which offer yields comparable to, or even higher than, Pusa-44 in just four months. Ranjit Singh, a farmer from Patiala, said he has planted a nursery of the paddy variety Pusa-44 this season despite the ban. 'We know it is not allowed, but our livelihood depends on it. The yield is 5–6 quintals higher than that of the short-duration varieties, and millers happily take this variety. What else can we do?' he asked. Ranjit said he procured the seeds from Karnal in Haryana through known contacts. 'There are farmers there who grow the seed for us. It is sold openly since it is not banned there. If you know someone, you can get it. You just have to avoid getting caught when bringing it into Punjab, where it is banned.' Ranjit said he used to grow hybrid seeds from various companies, but could not get them from Haryana because several dealers were selling full kits that included seed and multiple costly sprays. 'The kits were expensive, so I decided to go with PUSA-44, which offers nearly the same yield. Its seed is much cheaper in comparison. I bought Pusa-44 seed at Rs 120 per kg, and for one acre, I need about Rs 480 worth of seed. My nursery is now 10 days old, and I plan to transplant it into the field by June 8 or 9.' Another farmer, Major Singh from Ludhiana, said he also procured Pusa-44 seed from a grower in Haryana, as most dealers in Punjab are not selling it. 'Those who do, they sell it only provide it to people they know well,' he added. Farmers like Jatinder Singh from Sangrur, Jeet Singh from Barnala, and several others echoed similar sentiments, citing high yield, strong grain quality, and preference from millers as key reasons for continuing with Pusa-44 despite the ban. Despite environmental concerns and a formal ban, a steady flow of the variety continues to enter the state. Farmers, seed sellers, and agricultural experts all paint a picture of a policy quietly being defied on the ground. Pusa-44, a high-yielding, long-duration paddy variety released by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in 1993, was once extensively grown across Punjab. Its popularity was driven by yields of 32–36 quintals per acre and strong demand from rice millers. However, its long maturity period of over 155 days requires seven to eight more irrigation cycles than short-duration varieties. This leads to a huge burden on groundwater, delays harvesting, narrows the window between paddy harvesting and wheat sowing, and contributes significantly to stubble burning — a major factor in North India's worsening air pollution. To address this, the Punjab government banned Pusa-44 cultivation in November 2023 and promoted short-duration, water-efficient alternatives like PR 126 and PR 121. But enforcing the ban has proven to be a major challenge. Hard to trace paddy flow from Haryana: Officials Many wholesalers and retailers continue to prepare and sell paddy seed in the Karnal district of Haryana, a known seed hub. Sellers there admitted that Pusa-44 seeds are still sold over the counter. 'We don't advertise it, but farmers, especially from Punjab, know about it. They are willing to pay a premium. Some local farmers even grow the seed specifically for them,' Balwinder Singh, a seed producer. Another seller added that private growers are filling the gap while large companies have officially stopped producing Pusa-44. 'It is not hard to find. Farmers from Punjab often visit during the off-season, collect small quantities, and distribute them informally.' While some seeds are packed in labelled bags, farmers often request plain packaging to avoid regulatory scrutiny in Punjab, they said. Officials from the Punjab Agriculture Department admitted that enforcement of the ban remains inconsistent. 'Our teams conduct regular inspections, but tracking informal seed networks is difficult. When seeds are exchanged between farmers or brought in from Haryana in small quantities, it is hard to trace,' said an official in Chandigarh. They also acknowledged that the issue goes beyond enforcement. 'As long as market economics favour Pusa-44, farmers will continue finding ways to cultivate it.' A senior agricultural economist from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, emphasised the need for a deeper, more practical solution. 'If farmers prefer hybrid paddy varieties due to better returns, they should be allowed to grow all recommended hybrids. At the end of the day, it is an economic decision. Farmers are doing the math, and when they are getting free power for irrigation of longer duration varieties with high yield, why wouldn't they go for higher-yielding varieties?' He added that if millers are concerned about hybrids giving lower outturn (processing yield), the government should step in — either by offering incentives to millers or by adjusting the acceptable outturn percentage. 'While the short-term benefits of growing Pusa-44 are clear to farmers, the long-term environmental costs — stubble burning, excessive water use, and worsening air quality — threaten Punjab's agricultural sustainability. Until policies better reflect on-ground realities and economic drivers, farmers will continue to turn to banned seeds for better harvests,' another expert from the Punjab Agriculture Department said on the condition of anonymity.
