'Use right machinery for direct seeding of rice'

Ludhiana, May 23

Time for paddy plantation is here and it is an important crop of Punjab with an area of 3.10 million hectares, production of 19.14 million tonnes and an average yield of 61.67 quintals per hectare.

Manufacturers to arrange machines

• Chief Agriculture Officer Narinder Singh Benipal said the agricultural machinery manufacturers will arrange the required equipment for farmers for the direct sowing of paddy. He said the owners of two companies Dhanjal Agriculture Industries at Gondwal on Suhdar Raikot Road and National Agro Industries at Samrala Chowk, Ludhiana, have given their nod to provide the required machinery to the farmers for the direct sowing of paddy. He said these companies would not charge any rent or fees to provide machinery to the farmers.

In 2020-21 and 2021-22 due to Covid-19 pandemic there was a widespread problem of migrant labour for paddy transplanting. Therefore, a large number of farmers opted for direct sowing of rice and as a result area under direct sowing increased sharply. This year the government is giving special attention for promotion of direct sowing of rice amongst farmers, said Jasvir Singh Gill from Department of Agronomy.

“During the Covid-19 period, most of the farmers used inclined plate planter having spray attachment and without spray attachment followed by PAU Lucky seed drill. First time users of these machines faced some problems while operating the machines in the field,” said Sunil Kumar from Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kheri.

Experts share tips

• The field to be sown should be levelled using laser leveller. Direct sowing should be preferred in ‘Tar-Wattar’ field condition.
• After field preparation lucky seed drill should be preferred that also applies weedicide along with sowing operation. If this machine isn’t available than inclined planter should be used.
• Machine sprockets and bearings should be greased.
• Inclined plates should fit properly inside the assembly.
• Gap between consecutive furrow openers should be 20 cm.
• Machine is to be lifted after hitching at 3 point linkage system of tractor and then lifted slightly to check machine leveling from side ends. If the machine is not leveled it can be adjusted by using lower adjustable link.
• Similarly, front and back row of furrow openers should be levelled by using top link of tractor.
• The furrow openers behind both rear wheels of tractor should be lowered 0.5 to 0.75 inches in comparison to other furrow openers.
• Filters in tank of lucky seed drill as well as nozzle filters should be cleaned daily.