Assessment of Bottlenecks in Paddy Residues Management and Utilization in Punjab, India

The sustainable management of rice straw and the efficient cultivation of wheat crops are integral components of agricultural practices in the Punjab region, where rice and wheat are staple crops. However, the management of rice straw remains a persistent challenge, it is estimated that about 20 million tonnes of rice straw left in the field after the combine harvesting. As wheat straw is preferred for dry fodder or Bhusa for feeding the animals. The farmers of Punjab do not find a ready economic use of rice straw. The traditional practice of open-field burning of rice straw due to time constraints, adversely affects air quality, soil health, and ecosystem sustainability. Various methods have been employed to address the straw management issue, including rice straw incorporation, mulching, baling and partial burning. Different machines are available for timely management of rice straw includes Super SMS, Happy seeder, Paddy straw Chopper/mulcher, Hydraulic Reversible MB plough, Rotary slasher, Zero Tillage drill and Rotavator, Rotary till-drill, Strip till seeder, Straw baler. However, their adoption remains inconsistent across the region. Understanding the bottlenecks and constraints associated with these methods is essential for devising effective solutions. Therefore, a farmers survey was conducted in this study to find out the major constrains to adopt these technologies. It was found that the soil type, rice variety, weather condition, limited financial resources and awareness are the major driven reason for the low adoptability of the technology. Assessing the economic viability of these technologies is vital for informed decision-making by farmers and policymakers. The economics of wheat crop sowing using happy seeder was found to be the cheapest (costing 1300 Rs/acre) among all the tested methods. This research aims to provide valuable insights into sustainable agricultural practices in Punjab, fostering a transition toward more environmentally friendly and economically viable straw management and rice wheat cultivation strategies.