National Conference on Agriculture for Kharif Campaign 2017

Recommendations of Group No. III on

Best Mechanization Practices to avoid Burning of Straw
 Participated States
Bihar
Chhattisgarh
Haryana
Madhya Pradesh
Nagaland
Punjab
Rajasthan
Tamil Nadu
Uttar Pradesh
West Bengal
 Residue generated, residue surplus and burned in Major States
(Source: National Policy for Management of Crop Residues) Million tonne
S.N. States Residue generation Residue surplus Residue
burned
1 Andhra Pradesh 43.89 6.96 2.73
2 Bihar 25.29 5.08 3.19
3 Chhattisgarh 11.25 2.12 0.83
4 Gujarat 28.73 8.90 3.81
5 Haryana 27.83 11.22 9.08
6 Karnataka 33.94 8.98 5.66
7 Madhya Pradesh 33.18 10.22 6.91
8 Maharashtra 46.45 14.67 7.42
9 Orissa 20.07 3.68 1.34
10 Punjab 50.75 24.83 19.65
11 Rajasthan 29.32 8.52 1.78
12 Tamil Nadu 19.93 7.05 4.08
13 Uttar Pradesh 59.97 13.53 11.92
 Pollution
(Affecting
Human
health)
& GH gases
emission

Loss of
Smoke &
Nutrients
soot
e.g. N, P, K
particles Impacts of &S
Crop
Residue
Burning

Soil Mortality
hardening of active
& erosion beneficial
due to no Soil
cover Bacteria
Majority Residue Burned
 State Crop Residue
1. Andhra Pradesh Paddy
2. Bihar Paddy /Wheat
3. Chhattisgarh Wheat /Paddy
4. Gujarat Wheat
5. Haryana Paddy/Wheat
6. Karnataka Paddy/Wheat
7. Madhya Pradesh Wheat
8. Maharashtra Wheat/ Sugarcane
9. Orissa Wheat
10. Punjab Paddy/Wheat/ Sugarcane
11. Rajasthan Wheat/ Paddy/Mustard
12. Tamil Nadu Wheat
13. Uttar Pradesh Wheat/Paddy/Sugarcane
14. West Bengal Wheat
LOSS OF NUTRIENTS DUE TO PADDY STRAW
BURNING (per ton basis)

 Nitrogen 5.5 kg
 Sulphur 1.2 kg
 Phosphorus (~40%)2.3 kg
 Potash (~10%) 25.0 kg
 Organic Carbon 400 kg
 Challenges?

 Huge volume of crop residue;

 Collection & Storage;
 Time window between harvesting and sowing of two(next )crops;
 Awareness, Dissemination of Technology, Capacity Building of
Technical Manpower and those of farmers;
 Cost-effective mechanization, availability of appropriate
machinery;
 Utilization of crop residue;
 Technology up-gradation
 Bio Char /
gasification

Fodder / Other Incorporation in soil and

purposes Mulching/composting

Direct seeding by zero-till Baling/ Binder for

or Happy Seeder domestic/industrial as fuel
 Retention of Crop Residue as Mulch
and Incorporation of in soil.

Technological Interventions. Use of crop residue

compost/vermin-compost/FYM
for

Crop residue utilization for

Mushroom Cultivation.
Incentivize purchase of improved
machineries to ensure minimum left
over of crop residue.
Promotion of Custom Hiring/
Agriculture Service Centres
Improvement in combine harvester
for In-situ management and other
mechanism for collection of crop
residue
Diversified Uses of Crop Residue. Use in Power Generation, production of
cellulosic ethanol in PPP mode .

Use of Crop Residue for

paper/board/panel and packing
material

Promotion of collection of crop residue

for feed bricks making and its transport
to fodder deficient areas.
Capacity Building and Awareness

Organizing training of farmers for awareness

generation through mass and print media.
Generation.

Establishment of Custom Hiring Centres

through Self Help Group of unemployed youth
by providing subsidy

Demonstration of crop residue management

technologies.
The left over wheat stalks after
cut by combine harvester, Straw Reaper
thresh and blow out the straw
to netted trolley attached which
allows blowing of dust particles.

Advantages
• Recover wheat straw after
combine operation
• Recovered wheat straw is
used as cattle feed.
• The capacity of machine on
an average is 0.4 ha/h and
straw recovery is about 55-
60%.
• The quality of bhusa is
comparable with that made
available thresher.
• There is an additional grain
recovery of 50-100 kg/ha. Cost: Rs 2,25,000 (Approx)
A perfect machine for chopping all Paddy Straw Chopper
types of crop residue / straw such
as wheat, Paddy, Maize,
Sorghum, Sunflower etc.

In a single operation, it chops the

left behind straw/ stubbles and
spread it on the ground.

The chopped and spreaded stubbles

are easily buried in the soil by the
use of single operation of Rotavator Cost: Rs 2,00,000 (Approx)
or disc harrow

Subsequently, wheat sowing is

done as usual by the use of , no-till
drill or traditional drill/other
equipment
Advantages
Machine consists of a rotary shaft
• Reduce air pollution
mounted with blades named as flail • Reduces fuel and
to harvest the straw and chopping
unit consisting of knives. labour costs.

Zero-till farming is a way
of growing wheat / other
crops without tillage or
disturbing the soil in
paddy/other crop
harvested fields.
Cost: Rs 35000-40000 (Approx)
Zero tillage Advantage
1. Reduces labor, saves time
2. Saves fuel
3. Reduces machinery wear
4. Improves soil tilth
5. Increases organic matter
6. Traps soil moisture
7. Reduces soil erosion
8. Improves water quality
9. Improves air quality
Happy Seeder
Happy Seeder is one of the
unique techniques which is
used for sowing seed without
any burning of Crop residue.
In this machine a Rotor unit is
attached at front of seeding unit
that cuts & spread straw in
between the rows, as mulch.
Majority of the residue is not
disturbed and seed is sown in a
single pass.
This technology is eco friendly with
environment for the health of soil
as well as it also saves water.
Cost : Rs 55000 (Approx))
Advantages
Removes the need to burn rice
stubble before planting wheat,
therefore reducing air
pollution.
Direct sowing also reduces soil
disturbance, enabling it to retain
more nutrients, moisture and
organic content.
Saves money as less time is
needed on carrying out field
operations, which in turn reduces
fuel and labour costs.
MULCHER MACHINE

Used for mulching of straws of

crops such as rice, maize,
sunflower and tobacco residues
easily

The knives which are jointed on the

roller, rotates vertically.

This machine shreds the weeds

and stock of row crops in orchards

Cutting height is adjustable by

two wheels at the back of the
machine.
Cost: Rs 1,50,000(Approx)
Hay Rake
• It is used to collect &
cut hay or straw
into windrows for later
collection (e.g. by a baler).
• It is also designed to fluff up
the hay and turn it over so
that it may get dry.
• It reduces the work of baler
and in
Cost: Rs 2,70000/ (Approx)
It is used to compress raked
residues of rice, wheat,
fodders, sugarcane, legumes
Baler
etc into compact bales that
are easy to handle, transport,
and store.
Two different type of bale–
rectangular or cylindrical, of
various sizes, bound
with twine, strapping, netting
or wire.

Advantage
• Crop residues are turned
into bales which is used
for animal feeding as well
as bio fuels.
• Creates alternative
business for farmers to
sell bales to power plants.
•Save the environment
from air pollution.
Cost: Rs 2,25,000 to 18,00000(Approx)
 Super Straw
The Super SMS cuts
the straw in small Management System
pieces and scatters it (Super SMS):
around behind the
tail of the combine.

An additional straw management

system could be fitted to Self
Propelled combine harvesters

Advantages
• Easy direct sowing of wheat with happy
seeder
• The scattered straw helps in conserving
the soil moisture
• Avoid burning straw or removal of
straw.
 GROUP’S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROMOTION OF RESIDUE
MANAGEMENT MACHINERY
• State Governments may be given full assistance for promotion
through awareness by way of demonstration, training and
capacity building
• Higher slabs of subsidy may be given to farmers for
procurement of machinery
• More Custom hiring centres may be promoted for easy reach of
costly equipment for small and marginal farmers at village level
• Incentivize farmers for adoption of various residue
management operations
• Support for funding R&D/technological up-gradation to
States
• Strengthening of Agricultural Engineering Extension
Services (Special Directorate of Agricultural Engineering) on the
pattern of Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu
• Farm mechanization components in different schemes like
NFSM, NMOOP, MIDH etc. be brought under single umbrella
of SMAM for effective implementation and uniformity of assistance
Thank you