Punjab farmers unable to afford stubble management machines: Study

Despite spending a huge amount on subsidising crop residual management (CRM) machines, Punjab has failed to curb stubble burning due to poor implementation of various schemes.

This is the finding of a recent study which highlighted that the unavailability of CRM machines was a major hindrance in tackling crop residue burning.

The study, ‘Addressing Air Quality Spurts due to Crop Stubble Burning during Covid-19 Pandemic: A case of Punjab’, has been conducted by the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, New Delhi. Later, it was adopted as a part of series of policy briefs on Punjab by the Centre for Development Economics and Innovation Studies at Punjabi University, Patiala.

According to the study in 2019, 10 types of crop residual management machines, including zero till drill, paddy straw chopper, RMB plough, mulcher, super SMS, cutter-cum-spreader, super seeder and super master were sanctioned for distribution in Punjab. As many as 22,854 machines were to be delivered among farmers on subsidy. However, the state government could make available only 14,625 machines.

Besides, the study found that in-situ management machines were still unaffordable to many farmers despite the provision of subsidy. A ‘Happy Seeder’ costs Rs 1.5 lakh and requires a 65-horsepower tractor. Small farmers can’t buy the machinery, even with the 50 per cent subsidy. “Constraints in the supply chain and rental markets are other issues impacting adoption of machines like the Happy Seeder,” it said.

Though the government provides 80 per cent subsidy to cooperative societies to rent out machines to farmers, most of the societies do not have funds to buy the machinery.

Happy Seeder (HS)

Happy Seeder (HS) or Turbo Happy Seeder (THS) is a tractor-operated machine developed by the Punjab Agri University (PAU) in collaboration with Australian Centre for International Agri Research (ACIAR).
HS is used for in-situ management of paddy stubble (straw).
While it was developed in 2002, the PAU officially recommended it to farmers in 2005-06 and it made to the markets in 2006.
Currently, it costs around Rs 1.50 to 1.60 lakh and is manufactured by different companies.
The agriculture department gives 80 per cent subsidy to farmer groups and 50 per cent subsidy to individual farmers.

Using HS

After harvesting the paddy field using a combined harvester fitted with Super-SMS (Straw Management System) equipment.
This chops and evenly spreads the stubble in the field, farmers can directly sow wheat seeds using Happy Seeder with the stubble’s organic value adding to the soil.

Why use HS:-

The average wheat yield a farmer gets using traditional sowing method (after burning stubble) is 19-22 quintal/acre (q/acre).
It has been found that using Happy Seeder for four years, in the first year the yield was 17 q/acre but now it’s 19-22 q/acre.

Issues with HS:-

Many farmers had to burn the stubble because Happy Seeder doesn’t work on thick bunches of straw left behind.
It is wrong to say that yield magically increases or decreases using Happy Seeder.
It mostly remains at par, with normal average yield.
Initially, farmers will face problems because after sowing with HS, fields require proper management
According to the experts, wheat yield will start increasing after the initial 2-3 years, as the stubble will add to the organic quality of the soil.