Paddy diversification incentive: Will timing benefit Punjab and its farmers this year

In Punjab, the government permitted the sowing of paddy using the Direct Seeding Rice (DSR) technique from mid-May, with puddled transplanted Rice (PDR) allowed from June 11 in select districts and from June 16 in others. However, the announcement of the Rs 7,000 per acre incentive came more than a month after significant progress in rice sowing, with over 30.32 lakh hectares already planted by the time of the announcement. Now not even about 10% of the total area expected under paddy remains for transplanting. And now only Basmati rice, which is non-paddy, transplanting is left.

Experts argue that such incentives should ideally precede the commencement of the sowing season to effectively influence farmer decisions. Critics within the Punjab Agriculture Department suggest that announcements made towards the end of the paddy sowing season may serve more as a gesture rather than a proactive strategy for diversification. They contend that if the government were genuinely committed, it could have initiated actions independently rather than relying solely on central assistance and incentives.

This year, it is projected that over 31 lakh hectares will be dedicated to paddy cultivation in Punjab, a slight decrease from the previous year’s figure of approximately 32 lakh hectares. Despite efforts to promote crop diversification, the area under paddy cultivation has shown a persistent upward trend in recent years.

Farmer Palwinder Singh said that there is no point of announcing such plans now when we have already sown paddy.

Palwinder belongs to Jalandahr’s Nangal Shama village who owns 5 acres land and takes on lease around 50 to 60 acres every year. “I would have increased Basmati acreage had this announcement was made before the beginning of the paddy sowing season,” said he, adding that this year there would not be a handful of farmers who will be able to take this incentive and that too is not sure because of the end of the paddy sowing now in majority part of the state.

“While the announcement of incentives for crop diversification is a positive step, the timing of such measures remains a critical factor in their effectiveness. Early planning and implementation could potentially yield greater dividends in Punjab’s ongoing efforts to diversify its agricultural practices,” said expert on farming issues Paramjit Singh Sooch, adding that this year there would be no benefit for farmers as well as state from this scehme because paddy sowing is almost done now.

A senior officer in the department also informed that centre gives incentive to farmers under diversification scheme in which 40% share is to be contributed by the state governments but Punjab wants everything from the centre first and missing such chances resulting in more and more area under paddy rather diversifying from it.