Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 7: With the joint efforts of field functionaries of Agriculture Department and local panchayats of Ramgarh Block, many farmers of the area have been convinced to purchase and use DSR Machines to save labour by direct sowing of paddy crop without laying nurseries.
One such occasion has been kick started by the Director Agriculture Jammu InderJeet at village Khour Salarian of Ramgarh, Samba where mechanized sowing of paddy by Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR) Technique demonstrated in presence of Subject Matter Specialist (RL), Vijay Kumar Koushal, CAO Samba, Sanjay Verma, DAO Samba, Satish Sharma, SDAO Samba, Tilak Raj, Agriculture Engineer, Brij Rana, AEO Ramghar, Ajeet Singh, other field functionaries besides BDC Chairman, Ramghar, Darshan Singh, Sarpanches, Panches and progressive farmers of the area.
Speaking on the occasion, Director Agriculture said that DSR technique is the best possible solution to the current situation that has arisen due to COVID-19 and lock down announced thereafter by the administration. He disclosed that direct sowing of paddy seed using Direct Paddy Seeder (DSR) machine which is cost effective, reduces water requirement upto 40% and seed requirement by 30 %besidesminimizing requirement needed for nursery raising and paddy transplantation.
He further added that department is working tirelessly to ensure the availability of DSR machines, Paddy drum seeders, laser Land Levellers to facilitate the farmers in sowing of paddy crop in present circumstances.
It was informed that 20 DSR machines have been actually provided to the farmers of Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts on subsidy till date and the farmers are being encouraged to bring maximu area under DSR demonstration.
The Director Agriculture then proceeded to Arnia and R.S.Pura where he visited the fields of progressive farmers Rajinder Sharma and Ravinder Singh who have sown winter maize in their land that remained fallow during Rabi season due to excessive unseasonalrains.
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