Explained: Despite incentives, why is DSR technique not gaining ground in Punjab?

What was the target for DSR and how much area could be brought under it in the state?

In Punjab, rice (paddy and basmati) is grown in over 30 lakh hectares of farmland every year. The state government has set a target of bringing 12 lakh hectares (29.64 lakh acres) under DSR, which does not require puddled fields for transplanting paddy nursery and flood irrigation. The ideal time for DSR for paddy (non-basmati) crop is from June 1 to June 15 and for basmati (aromatic rice) from mid-June to June-end. For paddy DSR began in the state from May 20, and till July 10 only 80,000 hectares (1.98 lakh acres) could be sown with the DSR method. With this much area, Punjab’s DSR area is 93.3% down from the target and if one compares it with last year’s area then also it is 85.7% down. Last year, 5.62 lakh hectares (13.88 lakh acres) was under DSR in the state and that was also the highest ever area under DSR in the history of the state.

The main purpose of promoting DSR by announcing incentives was to save groundwater. Experts say that around 15% to 20% of groundwater can be saved by adopting DSR.

Every government, including the current dispensation of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has realised that it is difficult to wean farmers away from sowing paddy, so it is better to save some water with DSR method.

What are the reasons given by the Punjab agriculture department officials for this decline in DSR area?

Officials said that this year there were erratic power cuts. Also, canal water was not available in adequate amount during the sowing time of DSR. They said that owing to a breach in Sirhind canal in May, the DSR could not take place in several districts of the Malwa region due to lack of water. They also said that the power supply to the tubewells was there for 3 to 4 hours only and it was not sufficient, because farmers need a well-moist field before DSR and for that, they need to water it properly.

How the department officials’ claims for less area under DSR are opposite to the ground report?

According to the Department of Agriculture, a preliminary report was submitted to the department by Punjab Remote Sensing Centre (PRSC), Ludhiana. Till June 16, rice was sown on a total of 1.93 lakh hectares, including 52,140 ha (1.29 lakh acres) of DSR and 1,40,900 ha (3.48 lakh acres) of PTR. This report suggested that the PTR area was more than DSR much before the first official date notified by the government for PTR.

The government had notified June 18, June 22, June 24 and June 26 for PTR in various districts. This report said that in every district PTR was going on before the official dates.

“The government had promised 8-hour uninterrupted power supply from the notified dates only but this report says that farmers managed PTR even with 3-5 hours power supply (as claimed by officials) to tubewells,” a senior agriculture officer said, adding that PTR required several times more water than DSR and if PTR can take place with 3-5 hours of power supply to tubewells, then why DSR area could not be increased.

Then why didn’t farmers adopt it despite having incentives?

Both experts and farmers said that the results of the DSR depend on farmer to farmer and soil types. Some farmers are getting more yield from this method, while some are getting less. Light soils are bad and heavy soils are good for DSR. Also, the majority of the farmers in the state are still not much well-versed in the technique and after facing huge losses in wheat yield this year, they prefer the assured traditional PTR, instead of the experimental DSR.

Though DSR does not need labour, it needs several sprays of weedicides to control weeds. In PTR flood irrigation acts as a weedicide.

“With DSR if my yield goes down even 2-3 quintals/acres against PTR method, then my loss would be over Rs 6,000 per acre as the MSP of paddy is Rs 2,040/quintal while the incentive with DSR sowing is just Rs 1,500 per acre. Also, the government is already giving 8-hour power supply to irrigate my paddy crop,” said farmer Tarlochan Singh of Lambra in Jalandhar.

After facing huge yield loss from 15% to 20% per acre in the wheat crop – the second assured marketing crop after paddy in the state – due to extremely hot weather conditions during March, now farmers do not want to take any more risks by experimenting with DSR, said another farmer.

Farmers said that labour was available to them in adequate number at Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000 per acre at majority of the places.

An expert from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, said DSR won’t help much in saving Punjab’s water. When PTR is taking around 5,000 litres to grow 1 kg rice, with 15% to 20% water saving DSR will take around 4,000 to 4,200 litres which is also huge. The Punjab government should adopt the Haryana government model to save groundwater wherein the Haryana government under its scheme “Mera Pani Meri Virasat” is offering Rs 7,000 per acre to the farmers who will shun paddy crop and adopt other alternative crops like fruit and vegetables. Also, insurance on crops is available there, he added.