Haryana to promote direct sowing of paddy

CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government today said it will promote direct sowing of paddy in the state as crop plantation through this method saves water and reduces cultivation cost.

"In Haryana, the Agriculture department will set up demonstration plants over an area of 32,000 acres to promote direct sowing of paddy during 2015-16," Haryana Agriculture Minister O P Dhankar said.

Dhankar said farm scientists have advised farmers to do direct sowing of paddy up to June 15 and through transplanting till July.

He added that direct sowing of paddy reduces the cost of cultivation and also results in greater yields.

Apart from this, it saves 20-25 per cent of water and also lowers the electricity consumption by 20-30 per cent.

Besides, adopting this method for paddy farming increases the production of next crop.

The Agriculture Minister said grant would be given to farmers by the central and state governments under National Agriculture Development Scheme (NADS) and National Food Security Mission (NFSM) to reduce cost on cultivation of paddy and to save water.

He said the state government will provide inputs like manure, seeds, fertilisers etc, amounting to Rs 7,500 per hectare to farmers for setting up demonstration plants under NADS.

These plants would be set up on 2,500 acres in district Yamunanagar, 4,000 acres each in Karnal and Kurukshetra, 7,500 acres in Kaithal, 2,500 acres in Sonepat, 1,500 acres in Panipat, 2,500 acres in Jind, 1,500 acres each in Sirsa and Fatehabad and 2,500 acres area in Palwal.

Dhankar said that direct sowing of paddy would be done on 1,000 acres in Ambala, 400 acres in Jhajjar and 600 acres in Rohtak under the NFSM.

He said farmers setting up demonstration plants under NFSM would also get inputs like manure, seeds, fertilisers, etc, amounting to Rs 7,500 per hectare.

The Department has inspired farmers to adopt cultivation of maize in order to save water.

The Minister said there is a scheme of setting up demonstration plants for maize on about 23,000 hectares in the entire state.

Under this scheme, there is a plan to provide seeds, amounting to Rs 5,000, to farmers in the form of grant, he added.