Not enough machines for stubble management, say farmers
As stubble burning cases continue to rise, farmers engaged in the practice have blamed authorities for failing to provide adequate stubble management machines. Despite government efforts to curb stubble burning due to its harmful impact on air quality, these farmers claim they are left with no choice due to a lack of alternatives.
Farmers blamed the shortage of stubble management tools such as straw balers, happy seeders, paddy straw choppers, mulchers, rotary plows, super seeders, zero-till drills, hay rakes, and self-propelled crop reapers and others, forcing them to burn crop residue to clear their fields for the next sowing season.
Can't afford costly machines
There are many small and marginal farmers in the region who cannot afford costly machines. Also, the current number of balers and other machines is insufficient to meet farmers' needs, thus delaying the preparation for the next crop and leaving them with no choice but to burn the residue.
Sewa Singh Arya, BKU state president
Sewa Singh Arya, state president BKU, said farmers lacked funds to purchase such machines, and the government had not provided enough machines for processing stubble.
“There are many small and marginal farmers in the region who cannot afford the costly machines. The government should provide these machines at the village level to assist farmers during this crucial season,” Arya said, adding that the current number of balers and other machines is insufficient to meet farmers' needs, thus delaying the preparation for the next crop and leaving them no choice but to burn the residue.
“We have a short span of time between harvesting paddy and cultivating the next crop. Managing paddy straw is a lengthy process, and we do not have enough machines in the area for proper processing, leaving us with no option but to burn the stubble,” said Sultan Singh, a local farmer.
Ram Kumar, another farmer, echoed the same sentiments that the environmental damage caused by stubble burning but stressed they had no alternatives. “The machinery needed for stubble management is either unavailable or too expensive for small and marginal farmers like us,” he said.
Rajinder, another farmer, pointed out that in the past, there was enough labour for manual paddy harvest, making straw suitable for fodder. However, due to the shortage of labour, farmers now rely on combines for harvesting. “We cannot afford to waste time waiting for machines when the sowing season is so short,” he added.
An official claimed there were nearly 350 baler machines and around 8,000 other machines being used for stubble processing, but with approximately 25,000 to 30,000 acres of paddy harvested daily, nearly 2,000 baler machines are required to manage the stubble effectively.
Authorities claimed that there was a sufficient number of machines and farmers could focus on in-situ management too to increase the fertility of soil. In-situ methods involve incorporating stubble into the soil using crop residue management (CRM) machines. Ex-situ method involve removing the stubble from the fields and supplying it to industries that use it for other purposes.
“Several groups of farmers from nearby districts also come to the area to process stubble. Several farmers are getting profit from stubble management by using machines such as straw balers, happy seeders, paddy straw choppers, mulchers, rotary plows, super seeders, zero-till drills, hay rakes, and self-propelled crop reapers. Nearly 1,600 farmers have been granted permits to purchase new machines at subsidised rates in the current season,” said Dr Wazir Singh, Deputy Director of Agriculture.
“We have set up stubble collection centres at Bandrala, Amupur, Agondh, Bhambarehri, Jamalpur, Jundla, Uplani, Nilokheri, Indri and other places to collect stubble from farmers for industries. IOCL provides Rs 1,900 per ton, while private industrialists purchase at Rs 1,700-1,900 per ton,” he added.
