Rice area goes up as farmers pick up SRI method

Madhya Pradesh has experienced shortage of soya seed this year and encouraged farmers to switch over to rice cultivation.

Anticipating shortage in soya seed, increased irrigation facility and verbal publicity of SRI (System of Rice Intensification) system of cultivation, farmers in Madhya Pradesh switched over to rice thereby increasing the area by another four lakh hectares. "SRI system of rice cultivation has become wide spread where controlled irrigation is easily available, the area has gone up to 1.8 million hectare this year," a highly placed official said.

Normally, state farmers grow rice on area of about 1.4-1.5 million hactare with an output of 1.4 to 1.5 million tonne. "The production of rice in the state has also gone since as many as eight rice processors have set up industries in Madhya Pradesh," the official said adding that "SRI system of rice cultivation is easier and gives better yield, say, 14-15% more than average".

Developed in Madagascar SRI cultivation method came in practice some twenty years ago but state farmers have started adopting it in Raisen district during 2005-2006. Unlike transplantation of matured plants farmers transplant younger seedlings of rice under SRI, preferably 8-10 days old. Also they plant single seedlings rather than clumps of 3-6 plants in traditional method thereby increasing chance of productivity.

"Single seedling transplantation keeps paddy soil moist and through controlled irrigation it remained saturated as a result plant attainsproper growth," the official said. Although rice productivity is yet not satisfactory and much below the national average of2000 kg per hectare. According to state agriculture department stands at 900-1,000 kg per hectare but Shree system has now increased the area for basmati variety of rice. Also state farmers have hope that the state will soon get Geographical Integration for the Basmati variety. The state is fighting a case in Geographical Integration Chennai for the last nine years. "State is most likely to be given approval for Geographical Integration for Basmati rice," the official said.

The state has experienced shortage of soya seed this year and encouraged farmers to switch over to rice cultivation.