Miracle machine helps farmers reap profits

LUCKNOW: Having set a target of covering 113 lakh hectare of land with Rabi crops, serious efforts are now on by the state agriculture directorate to ensure that the sowing of the crops, particularly wheat, takes place well in time.
The sowing of wheat begins from November 15 and continues till the first week of December.
In keeping with this time-schedule special emphasis is now being laid on the usage of the Rotavator for which a great demand has come from the farmers.The success story of this farm machine has resulted in many divisions receiving applications much beyond the target of Rotavators fixed for them.
Rotavator, a very popular farm machine in Punjab and Haryana has now caught up in Uttar Pradesh also. Its USP lies in the manner in which it pulverises the soil, the time-saving which its usage ensures and the economic factor as well.Says additional director, agriculture, Mukesh Gautam ������Timely sowing of seeds is of utmost importance in the case of Rabi crops and this is possible only when the fields are ready in time. The Rotavator is very effective in ensuring this.������
This farm machine readies the field in one go by pulverising the soil to the required level. It also ensures the decomposition of the paddy residue which is left behind in the field by cutting it into very small pieces. In the normal scheme of things, the decomposition to the required extent is not possible as the paddy stalks are quite hard. This in turn creates some problems in the germination of the wheat seeds.
More importantly, unlike the earlier cultivators this machine is also soil friendly. Says joint director (Varanasi division) JP Singh, ������The friction created by cultivators causes the soil to heat resulting in the death of the micro- organisms which are very important for the health of the plant. This is not the case with the rotavators.������
Although this farm machine was introduced last year in the state under the National Food Security Mission plan, it found few takers as the farmers were reluctant to try it out. As against the target of 987 the department could sell only 290. This resulted in the GOI lowering the target to 587 this year.But this year proved to be a different story altogether. The success story of the farmers who bought the machine last year has resulted in there being a virtual clamour for it this year. Says Gautam, ������There was scarcely a farmer who did not make a profit between Rs 40,000 to Rs 60,000 by giving the Rotavator on rent last year.������ In view of this growing demand the directorate has asked the GOI to double the target. Each rotavator costs between Rs 60,000 to Rs 70,000. The GOI gives a subsidy of Rs 30,000 on each machine.
The directorate is hopeful that extensive use of this farm machine would help it in realising the target of 292 lakh metric tonne fixed for wheat production this year. The target achieved last year stood at 285 lakh metric tonne. The average produce for the crop has been fixed at 31.5 quintal per hectare as against the 28 quintal per hectare of last year.
Significantly UP accounts for 35 per cent of the total wheat produced in the country.