The recent spell of rain has dealt a setback to the efforts by progressive farmers and state government to bring five lakh acres under the direct sowing of rice (DSR) this season.
Agricultural experts and officials fear that the untimely rainfall during the crucial sowing period can adversely affect germination of paddy sown through the water-saving technique, prompting many farmers to revert to the conventional puddling method. The government has advanced conventional paddy transplantation date from June 15 to June 1.
In farming parlance, the phenomenon is known as “karand”, wherein rain after sowing leads to hardening of the soil surface, hampering seed germination and causing financial losses to farmers. The first three weeks of May are considered ideal for sowing paddy through the DSR method.
Director (Agriculture) Gurjit Singh Brar expressed concern over the recent spell of rain, stating that the weather conditions could pose a challenge to farmers who had already sown paddy using the DSR technique. He said the department was consulting Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) experts to explore possible solutions to the problem.
The concern comes at a time when the state is grappling with a severe groundwater crisis and the government has been aggressively promoting DSR as a water-conservation measure.
Under the DSR promotion scheme, farmers adopting the technology are entitled to financial assistance of Rs 1,500 per acre through an online portal. The state has earmarked Rs 40 crore for implementing the programme during the current financial year.
During 2025-26, 23,410 farmers adopted the technology and received financial assistance of Rs 35.38 crore.
However, farm experts argue that the government’s decision to advance the paddy transplantation season from June 15 to June 1 has undermined efforts to popularise DSR and could further increase pressure on groundwater resources.
An agricultural expert said the transition to DSR would not be successful unless the conventional paddy transplantation date was pushed to June 20.
He questioned why farmers would risk adopting a relatively new technique when they continue to receive free electricity and water from tubewells and are also allowed to transplant paddy earlier.
He said unless policy measures created a stronger incentive for farmers to shift away from conventional cultivation practices, widespread adoption of DSR would remain a challenge.
