How baler machines help manage stubble

More environment-friendly methods include incorporation of the stubble into the soil using machines such as super seeders (in situ management). However, farmers say this leaves fields vulnerable to insect attacks, necessitating the use of toxic insecticides.

For many, ex situ management is preferable. This is where baler machines come in.

Compressing farm residue

Balers compress agricultural residue into manageable and transportable bales. Before using a baler machine, farmers cut the crop residue with a tractor-mounted cutter. After two days of drying, a rake arranges the stubble in straight lines. A tractor-mounted baler machine then compresses the stubble into compact bales using netting. These bales are transported to factories or dumping sites.

In fields where balers are used, farmers can immediately plough the field and sow the next crop. Most balers in Punjab create cylindrical or rectangle bales weighing 25-30 kg, though bigger machines are also available.

Not enough units currently

A single baler costs about Rs 14.5 lakh without subsidies — the costs of the rake and cutter are extra, around Rs 2.5-3 lakh. Each baler can cover 15-20 acres in a day. Weather permitting, they operate for around 45 days.

Currently, Punjab has around 32 lakh hectares of rice fields. Depending on how many days they operate, only 15-18% of this area can be covered by the available balers in the state.

After they were included under CRM, no units were sold in the first two years (2018, 2019). The next three years, however, saw a total of 768 balers sold under subsidy, with another 500 added this year. Around 700 non-subsidised balers currently operate in the state.