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CM Bhagwat Mann says PUSA variety requires more water for irrigation than other varieties, hence PUSA 44 paddy variety will be banned from next Kharif season.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced that the state government has decided to ban the cultivation of PUSA-44 type of water quantity of paddy crop starting from the coming kharif season. After formally starting paddy procurement operations in the state, Mann also appealed to farmers to stop the practice of stubble burning.
He directed the departments of food, civil supplies, and consumer affairs to ensure a smooth and hassle-free procurement process during the current Kharif marketing season, which begins from October 1. Avoid planting the PUSA-44 variety due to its long maturity and high yield of crop residues. He said that PUSA-44 type will be banned in Punjab from next season. The CM pointed out that this variety takes 152 days to ripen, while the PR-126 variety takes only 92 days, and it also requires more water for irrigation.
He further informed that new varieties will be developed for paddy cultivation in the future. Mann encouraged farmers to avoid burning the bird and highlighted the machinery distribution of crop residues to help in both onsite and offsite bird management. He also noted that brick kilns have been mandated to use paratha as fuel, and several companies are collecting paratha from farmers.
On the issue of DAP (diamonium phosphate) for wheat sowing, Mann said the state government has taken it up with the Center and procured 3 lakh metric tonnes of supply. He assured the farmers to strictly follow the norms of timely payment. While the state had requested a cash credit limit of Rs 42,000 crore from the Center for paddy procurement, it has so far received Rs 37,000 crore.
The Chief Minister also mentioned the establishment of 1,854 procurement centers for paddy and assured that necessary arrangements for bardana and storage have already been made. The state government has set a procurement target of 173 lakh metric tonnes of paddy out of 182.10 lakh metric tonnes during the kharif season.
First Published: 05 Oct 2023, 10:17 IST
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