Punjab Farmers' Love for Pusa 44 Persists Amid Environmental Concerns

Despite environmental concerns, farmers in Punjab continue to cultivate Pusa 44, a high-yield, long-duration, and water-intensive paddy variety. A recent survey by CEEW highlighted the persistence of this practice and its impact on stubble burning. The state government has de-notified Pusa 44, but it is still available through private dealers.

Punjab farmers persist in cultivating the long-duration, water-intensive Pusa 44 variety of paddy, despite its environmental impact, according to a new survey released on Tuesday.

Conducted by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), the survey found that half of the state's farmers using in-situ crop residue management (CRM) machines still burn some paddy straw for efficiency and pest control. The report noted that 36 per cent of 1,478 farmers in 11 districts grew Pusa 44 in Kharif 2022, drawn by its high yield.

Districts such as Sangrur and Ludhiana record the highest proportion of Pusa 44 growers. Despite subsidies for electricity and fertiliser driving its popularity, the state government de-notified the variety in October 2023 due to its environmental downsides. Yet, Pusa 44 remains in circulation through private seed dealers.

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