Punjab Sees Dramatic Drop in Crop Burning Incidents, Says Agricultural Expert
Punjab has significantly reduced crop burning incidents, with expert Dr. Shyoran emphasizing the value of straw management for farmers.
Abohar, October 16 (Daily Kiran) : In Abohar, Dr. Parvinder Shyoran, director of ICAR-Atari, emphasized that straw is not waste but a valuable resource for farmers. He noted that a combination of changing farmer behavior and collaborative efforts from the administration and agricultural departments has led to a substantial decline in crop burning incidents. In 2018, Punjab recorded over 80,000 cases of straw burning, but this number plummeted to just 5,100 last year.
Dr. Shyoran stated, “We had a large turnout of farmers at the event. We aimed to educate them on managing straw during the current rice harvest season and the upcoming wheat sowing period, all while striving for a zero-burning target.”
He explained that a platform was established in Punjab to gather farmers’ opinions and provide scientific advice. “I believe we will achieve our zero-burning goal in the future. However, satellite data sometimes misrepresents fire incidents, capturing fires caused by other reasons and mistakenly attributing them to straw burning,” he added.
Reflecting on past statistics, Dr. Shyoran pointed out that when the project began in 2018, there were more than 100,000 incidents of straw burning, with Punjab accounting for 70-80% of these. Last year, the total incidents dropped to around 36,000, with Punjab’s contribution falling to just 15%.
He credited the collective efforts of all stakeholders, including the administration, agricultural department, and, most importantly, the farmers themselves, for this significant reduction. “Our ongoing plan is to eliminate straw burning completely. This is a shared dream, and I am hopeful we will realize it,” he said.
Dr. Shyoran also mentioned that farmers have access to various techniques for managing straw, whether incorporating it into the soil or leaving it on the surface. “It’s up to the farmers to choose which method suits them best. The technology is available, and importantly, farmers are changing their practices,” he concluded.
