Farmers in Sirsa district are preparing to expand direct rice sowing to cover 85,000 acres as part of a focused initiative by Haryana’s Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Department. The department aims to implement direct rice sowing over 3.02 lakh acres across Haryana, including 30,000 acres in Karnal, 25,000 acres each in Fatehabad and Hisar, and 22,000 acres in Kurukshetra using the Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR) technique. In a positive development, eligible farmers will receive an incentive of ₹4,000 per acre, supported by a ₹120 crore budget allocated by the department. Interested farmers must register on the ‘My Crop, My Yield’ portal by July 10.
How Does DSR Technology Facilitate Rice Planting?
The Agriculture Department is promoting rice cultivation using DSR technology to address declining water levels. DSR is known for its efficiency, eliminating the need for nurseries or transplantation. Farmers have begun planting rice from June 15, benefiting from up to 30% savings in water usage. Studies show that more than 47% of small and marginal farmers adopting DSR techniques have achieved higher yields, resulting in savings of approximately ₹10,000 to ₹12,000 per acre compared to traditional methods.
Incentives for Farmers
Farmers engaged in manual broadcasting of rice seeds will also benefit from the scheme. Under this initiative, the Agriculture Department aims to promote direct rice sowing across 15,000 acres in the district. Eligible farmers will receive ₹4,000 per acre as a government incentive. Dr. Satish Kumar, Assistant Plant Protection Officer of the Agriculture Department, confirmed the target for implementing DSR technology on 15,000 acres in the district. Eligible farmers will receive direct transfers into their bank accounts after thorough verification.
Features of DSR Machines
Agricultural officials emphasized that traditional rice cultivation consumes significant water resources. However, DSR technology reduces water usage by 30-35%, saving time and reducing labor costs associated with conventional farming practices.
