Labor Shortage Spurs Adoption of Rice Transplanters by Amritsar District Farmers

Despite the relentless efforts made by the state government to encourage farmers to adopt the Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR) technique, there has been a growing trend among farmers to opt for the mechanical transplanting method as an alternative to manual transplantation. The DSR method has been widely promoted for its water-conserving and labor-saving attributes in contrast to traditional manual transplantation. However, due to a shortage of migrant workers, particularly in the agricultural sector, a significant number of farmers are facing inconveniences and are compelled to explore alternative methods.

Despite the state government's commitment to promoting sustainable agricultural practices, the shift towards mechanical transplanting indicates the challenges faced by farmers in adapting to new techniques and coping with labor shortages.

According to Kulveer Singh, a farmer he said that " mechanical transplanting appears to be a feasible solution due to its minimal labor requirements. Furthermore, this method enables the transplantation of large areas within a short timeframe using a single machine. A team of five workers can only transplant one acre in a day, even a walk-behind machine can effortlessly cover two acres, and larger machines can transplant up to 10 acres within the same duration. This highlights the efficiency and productivity advantages offered by mechanical transplanting over manual labor-intensive methods."

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According to a farmer, Harjap Singh he said that traditional method of transplanting is more easier and accessible than the modern method. He said that "weed management through DSR technique requires more skills and it's truly difficult." According to other farmers' viewpoints, the mastering mat-type nursery is the only skill required for mechanical transplanting.

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According to officials from the agriculture department, farmers have been intensively adopting mechanical transplanting. Since the same amount of money gets consumed even in manual transplanting, farmers have shifted towards buying rice transplanters. According to an official, "Progressive farmers have already bought these machines and they can avail these machines on lease. Farmers have also begun to charge Rs 5000 per acre. This provides a major boost for their income."

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