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Tribune News Service
Bathinda, October 18
Showing the way to the farming community, two brothers from Thoothiyanwali village in Mansa district have not only shunned the practice of burning straw but also adopted a direct-sowing technique for the past eight years for wheat and paddy crops. They have also increased their yield and saved water, fertilisers and fuel.
Farmer brothers Sarabjit Singh and Amarjit Singh said they had not burnt wheat stubble for the past seven to eight years and had been by ploughing it in fields. Besides, both will not be burning paddy stubble for the third year in a row.
Sarabjit said, “The practice of not setting paddy stubble on fire has proved to be fruitful and resulted in higher yield per acre. With this, fertility of my soil has revived and I am spending much less on water for irrigation and fertilisers.”
He has adopted the direct-sowing technique wherein the seed is directly planted in mulched stubble. He has been saving Rs 4,500 per acre. He saves the labour cost of Rs 3,000 for transplantation of paddy, puddling and fuel charges of Rs 1,000 and around Rs 500 on the use of fertilisers and chemicals.
He is constantly in touch with officers of the Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department that provides him proper guidance. At present, the department is using his fields to exhibit the direct-sowing techniques.
They have bought a machine for direct sowing on subsidy at a cost of Rs 40,000. Using the machine in a best way, they give it on rent to other farmers at a cost of Rs 800 to Rs 1,000 per acres. They are doing a brisk business every season with the help of the direct-sowing technique.
Mansa Chief Agriculture Officer Gurmail Singh said Sarabjit and Amarjit were examples for other farmers to follow. He urged the farmers not to burn the crop residue and instead, plough it in the field to increase fertility of the soil.
Gehri Buttar farmer sets an example for others
Following in the footsteps of the Mansa brothers, a farmer from Gehri Buttar village is not only managing paddy and wheat residues to increase the fertility of his soil but is also creating awareness among other farmers about the ill-effects of burning stubble.
Amarjit Singh said he had been farming for the past three decades and at present, he had sown paddy on seven acres out of the total 10 acres. He said modern tools provided on subsidy by the government helped him get rid of unbearable fire and deadly gases.
“I am cultivating wheat and paddy using modern tools. I do not allow the fire to come close to my farm. The practice of burning stubble will affect the fertility of the land and per acre yield,” he added.