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Support farmers who adopt DSR method for paddy cultivation: Phoolka to NRI Punjabis
Phoolka asked farmers to save water, particularly the sub-soil, and suggested them to cultivate paddy adopting the direct seeding rice (DSR) method
: Former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Harvinder Singh Phoolka on Tuesday called on the NRIs from Punjab, who had given their agricultural lands on lease for cultivation, to support the farmers by offering USD 50 or ₹ 3,500 per acre to those who adopt the new direct seeding rice (DSR) method for paddy cultivation.
“This amount is very small for the NRIs but a big support to the farmers in Punjab,” he said while addressing the media here.
He asked the farmers of the state to save water, particularly the sub-soil, and suggested them to cultivate paddy adopting the direct seeding rice (DSR) method.
Under the DSR technique, the seeds are sown in the field directly rather than transplanting seedlings which saves water.
“In case water is not conserved, the state will turn into a desert without leaving cultivable land for the future generations,” he said.
Phoolka, who was flanked by experts and the farmers who have successfully adopted the method, asked paddy cultivators to move a step ahead and use anaerobic seeded rice (ASR) by cutting oxygen supply into the soil so that weeds do not grow in the DSR field.
He also asked the farmers to adopt crops alternative to paddy in the kharif season if farmers are able to, so that sub-soil water level is recharged and welcomed AAP government’s decision in the state by offering a per acre support of Rs. 1,500 to the farmers for adopting DSR variety.
“It is good that state government has taken a positive step, and now people have to take a call, to adopt method of DSR saving ₹ 12,000 to 14,000 per acre and the produce is same as the paddy grown with puddling method,” said Phoolka, while introducing the farmers who have successfully adopted the DSR method.
Paddy cultivators from different parts of the state also shared their experiences and called upon the farmers to adopt the new method.
