Paddy transplantation begins today,area likely to fall to 27.5 lakh hectares

The corporation which has been pulled up by the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission for purchasing power at high costs has this year also broght down the power purchase cost considerably due to intensive bargaining. “Punjab will get power at an average of Rs 4 per unit,which is Rs 2-2.50 less than last year,” Chaudhary said.

Director Agriculture Balwinder Singh Sidhu informed the meeting that this year Punjab was expecting paddy transplantation on an area 27.5 lakh hectares against the 28.31 lakh hectares last season. “The acreage under paddy is decreasing as farmers are opting for cotton crop this year due to hike in market price. But the paddy yield this year was expected to go up to 5925 kg per hectare against 5732 kg per hectare last year. The total paddy production in the state last year was 162.55 lakh metric tonnes and is expected to touch 162.93 lakh metric tonnes this season,” he added.

Agriculture Minister Sucha Singh Langah said Punjab agriculture department was motivating farmers to opt for mechanized transplanters keeping in view acute shortage of migrant labour especially during paddy season. “A total of 449 paddy transplanters were already in operation and government was all set to sanction 28 more during this season. The state government was giving Rs 70000 subsidy on walk behind paddy transplanter costing around Rs 2.5 lakh and was offering Rs 3 lakh subsidy on four wheel drive transplanters worth Rs 10 lakh.”