With paddy harvest season fast approaching, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoAs) with four Punjab-based firms, to commercialise its technologies in a bid to cut farm fires.
The university has signed a pact with four Punjab-based firms, namely Thind Machinery Works, Amritsar, KS Agro Tech, Malerkotla, Amrik Agriculture Industry, Batala and Kisan Agriculture Works, Talwandi for the commercialisation of newly evolved surface seeding technology which is effective for paddy straw management and a less costly method of wheat sowing.
PAU Vice-chancellor Satbir Singh Gosal, while congratulating the proprietors, urged the farm machinery manufacturers to come forward and make collective contribution in curbing this menace, which is problematic for health and environment. “PAU is making all-out efforts to put an end to the illegal practice of stubble burning by promoting paddy straw as gold and making a call for conserving it (in-situ), rather than burning it,” he added.
Explaining the features of surface seeding-cum-mulching technology, AS Dhatt, director of research said, “It is cost-effective, doesn’t require a tractor, and sows wheat in time without burning paddy residue. Wheat sowing on an acre using this technology costs ₹700 or ₹800.”
{{/usCountry}}Explaining the features of surface seeding-cum-mulching technology, AS Dhatt, director of research said, “It is cost-effective, doesn’t require a tractor, and sows wheat in time without burning paddy residue. Wheat sowing on an acre using this technology costs ₹700 or ₹800.”
{{/usCountry}}GS Manes, additional director of research (farm mechanisation and bioenergy), informed that the Punjab government was providing a subsidy of ₹64,000 to farmers’ groups and ₹40,000 to individual farmers on the purchase and custom hiring of surface seeding machine.
Head of the department of agronomy MS Bhullar, and agronomist JS Gill said that farmers were elated to use surface seeding technology during the trials conducted last year by PAU.