Ludhiana: Wheat sowing picks up pace in district
Wheat sowing has begun in the district, with 20% of the expected 2.4 lakh hectares already planted as paddy harvesting nears completion. Around 10.21 lakh metric tonnes of paddy have arrived in markets. Farm fire cases dropped sharply to 57 from 332 due to increased adoption of in-situ and ex-situ straw management practices.
With the paddy harvesting entering its last leg, wheat sowing for the upcoming rabi season has set off in the district. Wheat has been already sown on 20% of the area which is expected to be covered under the rabi crop, officials said. According to the agricultural department, 90% of paddy has been harvested so far.
Officials expect the wheat crop to be cultivated on 2.4 lakh hectares with a 50-quintal-yield per hectare. Regarding paddy, officials said 10.21-lakh-metric-tonne crop has arrived across the mandis of the district. The department expects 29-30 quintals per acre. Paddy, the transplantation of which began on July 9, was cultivated on around 2.57 lakh hectares, according to the estimates of the agriculture officials.
This year, the district also recorded a significant fall in the farm fires as it saw only 57 cases against last year’s 332. Chief agriculture officer Gurdeep Singh said the fall in stubble burning cases was due to farmers adopting other ways of paddy straw management.
Officials said farmers have choices to opt for either in situ or ex-situ stubble management. In situ refers to managing the residue within the field and ex situ refers to managing it outside. Equipment like happy seeders, rotavators and ploughs is used in mulching methods of in-situ management that can sow the wheat crop without having to remove the straw. A plough is used in the incorporation method, wherein the straw is mixed with the soil.
For ex-situ management, the process of bailing is used. Baling is the process of compressing the straw and making bundles of it, which can then be taken to factories and elsewhere to be used in different ways.
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Source : Hindustan Times
