The story so far: In an advisory issued for Chhattisgarh’s farmers on July 3, 2026, the State government has placed a special emphasis on prioritising Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) over the traditional transplanting method. The advice comes against the backdrop of the uncertainty of rainfall due to El Niño, a climate phenomenon that tends to weaken the South Asian monsoon.

What is Direct Seeded Rice?

In the Direct Seeded Rice method for paddy, seeds are directly planted into the soil either manually or using machines. Sowing by hand or broadcasting seeds has been in practice since time immemorial. When canals and borewells were not available and agriculture was largely dependent on monsoon rains, farmers sowed seeds directly into the soil. One challenge with DSR was weed management as the weed would compromise yield.

With assured irrigation, especially after the Green Revolution, the shift towards transplanted rice began. This involves growing the plants in a nursery and then planting the seedlings, usually 25 days old, after softening the soil in the field. Weed control becomes effective. For the first 15-20 days after transplanting, three to four inches of water is left in the field. This suppresses the weed because of the anaerobic conditions.

Are there clear benefits of the transplanting method?

Yes, but far more water is required. In transplanting method, it requires 2,500 to 3,000 litres of water to produce one kilogram of rice, making it one of the most water guzzling crops. According to the government advisory, the DSR method saves 20% water, reduces cultivation costs by approximately ₹5,000 per acre, and allows the crop to mature 12–15 days earlier.

Ashok Kumar Singh, former director of Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) or Pusa, New Delhi, says there have been major innovations in the field of DSR in recent years. Earlier, mechanisation was not available and it was manual sowing through bullocks or by hand or broadcasting method. But now, there are better quality seed drills and tractors available, allowing farmers to maintain the required plant-to-plant or row-to-row distance.

New-generation herbicides, which kills weed but doesn’t impact the crop, is now available. Additionally, herbicide-tolerant rice varieties have been developed in recent years, making direct seeding easier by improving weed management.

What are the challenges associated with transplanting method?

There are also economic considerations. For instance, paddy cultivation using the transplanting method can cost around ₹5,000 per acre. In addition, there is a shortage of agricultural labour in areas such as Chhattisgarh, even though farmers are willing to pay for the available labour. Next, under flooded conditions, the methanogenic bacteria become very active and produce a large amount of methane gas, making paddy cultivation one of the significant sources of greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture. Around 3.7 million tonnes of methane gas are annually released from paddy fields in India. However, farmers often dismiss these concerns pointing out that cities contribute much higher greenhouse gas emissions.

Why is the advisory significant for Chhattisgarh?

Chhattisgarh, which procured 141 lakh metric tonnes of paddy during the last Kharif marketing year, is one of the major producers of paddy in the country. The State has nearly 25.24 lakh registered farmers, which means that well over half of its population is either directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture.

The importance of paddy farming is also reflected in administrative and political priorities, with the government paying ₹3,100 per quintal of paddy.” Furthermore, the paddy growing area – particularly large areas in the Mahanadi basin area of central Chhattisgarh – is mostly rainfed, as the irrigation facilities do not reach almost 75% of the areas under cultivation.

Also, even in rural areas, there has been a significant increase in the use of groundwater, instead of surface water, for daily activities such as bathing and washing vehicles, which has led to a continuous decline in groundwater levels.

How has the adoption been so far in Chhattisgarh?

The penetration of the DSR method remains low in Chhattisgarh unlike States such as Punjab and Haryana where apart from the depleting groundwater reserves, the interval between paddy harvest and wheat sowing is also small. The latter results in stubble burning in those North Indian States, raising pollution concerns.

Owing to the limited adoption of DSR, equipment such as super seed drills are not widely available for rent. However, some farmers from Rajasthan or other States are now offering these services. The high initial cost of around ₹1.5 lakh for the machines discourages small farmers from adopting this technology. It may be noted that an overwhelming majority of farmers in the State have small landholdings.

What happens after the advisory?

Even farmers who want to adopt DSR and are concerned about weak rainfall activity this season say that the advisory has come a little too late. For, the land needs to be levelled before adopting DSR, which requires additional time and resources. Laser levelling equipment, which is commonly available in Punjab and Haryana, is not readily available in Chhattisgarh. However, farmers acknowledge the importance of switching to DSR in the long run, particularly due to the shortage of labour in the rice cultivation belt of rural Chhattisgarh.

Published – July 10, 2026 04:34 pm IST