Govt to conduct surveys to check sowing of banned paddy varieties

2The Agriculture Department will conduct field surveys to check paddy varieties sown by farmers in the state. The exercise will be undertaken from early next month.

This is being done to collate the data on paddy varieties sown by farmers, and the area on which the banned PUSA-44 and hybrid varieties have been sown. The sowing of paddy is likely to be completed in the next two weeks.

This year, the state government has banned PUSA-44 and hybrid varieties, as these not only require more water for cultivation, but also leave more stubble after harvesting, which often leads to its unscientific disposal.

“The field trials will be intensive in southern districts of Malwa, especially in Sangrur, Mansa and Bathinda, due to reports that PUSA-44 has been sown there by private dealers,” said an official.

According to officials in the Agriculture Department, after the government advanced the date for the transplantation of paddy to June 1, the crop had been transplanted, or directly sown, on 15.24 lakh hectares till date. Last year, paddy transplantation began on June 10 and the crop had been transplanted on 7.47 lakh hectares till June 24.

The paddy transplantation date has been advanced this year to ensure that farmers have enough time for scientific stubble management after the paddy is harvested in September-end or the first week of October.

Officials in the Agriculture Department say while the sowing of non-basmati paddy varieties will be complete by the end of this month, the basmati sowing will start from July 1. The government expects around 6.50 lakh hectares to be brought under basmati cultivation this year.

Ministers’ panel to supervise procurement

The government has constituted a group of ministers (GoM) to supervise foodgrain procurement in the coming seasons. The GoM held its first meeting at the Punjab Bhawan here on Tuesday.

Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian is its chairman, while Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak, Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar and Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal are its members. Principal Secretary, Food and Civil Supplies, Rahul Tiwari gave a presentation on the planning being done to ensure hassle-free paddy procurement.

Punjab