Ludhiana, October 26
Over 200 farmers, manufacturers, scientists, extension specialists and officers from the Department of Agriculture, Punjab and Haryana, attended a field day on the Latest Machinery for Rabi Crops’ held at the departmental farm of the Punjab Agricultural University’s Department of Farm Power and Machinery.
According to Dr I.K. Garg, Senior Research Engineer-cum-Heart, Department of Farm Power and Machinery, the main purpose of the field day was to acquaint the farmers, manufacturers and extension engineers regarding the latest technology related to paddy stubble management and minimum tillage technologies.
A demonstration of several machines was given by the department for the benefit of the participants. The participants were impressed by the functioning of the paddy straw choppers-cum-spreader. This machine has been developed by the department of eco-friendly management of paddy stubbles. This machine chops and spreads the stubble on the soil for easy incorporation through conventional means. Also on the occasion, demonstrations of some other equipment, which included straw-thrower attachments, straw baler, vegetable transplanter, strip till drill, zero till drill, self-propelled sprayers and multi-crop planters etc, were shown.
Dr Garg mentioned that the use for low-cost and simple technology would help in increasing the farmer’s income and reduce the cost of cultivation. This equipment would also help in the diversification of cropping pattern in the state Mr B.S. Sidhu, Joint Director (Engineering), Department of Agriculture, Punjab, emphasised that the Punjab Government was trying to provide maximum support to the farms as far as zero till drill machines were concerned.
He also asked the manufacturers that they should get their machines tested so that they could improve their quality. Dr S.R. Verma, ex-Dean, College of Agricultural Engineering, highlighted the role of mechanisation in increasing production and productivity.
