Exploring Potential of Mechanical Transplanting of Rice in Punjab, Pakistan
Exploring Potential of Mechanical Transplanting of Rice in Punjab, Pakistan
Nadeem Akmal1, Abid Hussain1*, Muhammad Yousaf2, Waqar Akhtar1 and Hassnain Shah1
ABSTRACT
Rice is an important food grain crop in Pakistan. However, the country stands far behind in the South Asian region in mechanization of the crop. Currently, rice farming in Pakistan is in transition, with the coexistence of conventional and mechanized farming. In this reference public sector is supporting rice farmers through the knowledge dissemination and service provision in the country for the mechanization of rice crop. In this article economic comparison of mechanical and conventional rice sowing methods in the rice-wheat cropping zone of the Punjab province has been made by applying economic analysis technique. As, Basmati-Super and Basmati- 386 are main rice varieties grown in the country. Thus, this study is based on data of 46 purposively selected farmers for the crop season 2021, including 30 and 16 farmers of Basmati-386 and Basmati-Super, respectively. Cost comparison of the crop produced through mechanical and conventional manual transplanting techniques revealed that costs of raising the nursery and its transplanting through mechanical method are higher than conventional sowing method by 13.55 percent and 2.33 percent, in case of Basmati Super and Basmati-386, respectively. While, all other cost items of the crop production are more or less the same across both methods. Thus, it is reaffirmed that mechanical transplanting of rice (MTR) is labour saving, and more productive than conventional sowing method. Productivity of Basmati-Super and Basmati-386 rice crop palnted through MTR at sample farms were higher than conventionally transplanted crops by 12.23 and 10.56 percent, respectively. In case of Basmati 386, benefit-cost ratios of crops sown through mechanical and conventional methods are 1.40 and 1.28, respectively. Similarly, for Basmati-Super benefit-cost ratios of crops sown through mechanical and conventional methods are 1.44 and 1.33, respectively. Furthermore, MTR can be adopted on all soil types. Thus, MTR technique has obvious advantage over conventional rice sowing method. The technique has the potential to be adopted on wider scale. However, mechanical, technical and financial backups for importers, entrepreneurs and service providers are needed to be devised. Agronomists should conduct research to compare suitability of different planting materials for nursery sowing in trays. Similarly, experiments should be carried out to find out optimal irrigation and fertilizer application levels for mechanically transplanted crop.
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