Generation and management of crop residues in Punjab Singh Sukhdeep*, Ranguwal Sangeet Department of Economics and Sociology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India *Corresponding author email: sukhbuttar94@gmail.com
Online Published on 26 February, 2024. Abstract Being an agriculture rich state, Punjab has huge potential of biomass resource availability in the form of crop residues. About 42 million tons (MT) of crop residue was generated in the state during 2019-20, with a surplus of around 14 MT. District wise investigation revealed that maximum crop residue was generated in Sangrur (4.09 MT) while Pathankot produced the least (0.39 MT)). Sangrur had the highest surplus residue also (1.21million metric tonnes)), whereas S.A.S. Nagar produced the least (177.83 thousand metric tonnes). The cereals provide around 97 per cent of the total residue generated in the state of which major share comes from paddy and wheat crops Using various straw management practises, about 51.7 percent of the total area under paddy crop in the state was managed (kept free from burning) during 2018-19 with mulching on about 39.7 per cent area followed by removal on about 30.8 percent and paddy straw incorporation on around 29.5 percent of the total paddy area managed. Farmers’managerial concerns with paddy straw management ranked first followed by technical, financial and domestic level use issues. Crop diversification, farmers’ training, demonstration of CRM technologies, establishment of custom hiring centres and subsidies on CRM machinery can help to effectively manage or utilise the crop residues along with reduction in the negative effects of its misuse on the environment. Top Keywords Constraints, Crop residue, Generation, Management, Surplus. Top |