In srikakulam district of andhra pradesh, paddy is major important crop during kharif cultivated in an area of 2,01,148 ha out of total cropped area of 2,66,433 ha with productivity of 4587 kg/ha. In the district, traditional method of paddy cultivation, adoption of more seed rate, late transplanting with over aged seedlings, close spacing coupled with scarcity of labour and escalation in labor wages, reduction in labor efficiency are leading to lower yields and low net returns, besides that farmers are distressed to cultivate paddy. Farmers are searching for new and easy technology to cultivate the paddy. With the feedback from farmers scientists from DAATT Centre also searched for easy and best technology. Finally we identified the paddy drum seeder technology in consultation with Indian Institute of Rice Research, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad scientists, which is very easy and less labour involved. Drum seeder technology is boon to farmers to save money and time and receive crop harvest 7-10 days earlier than normal transplanted field. DAATT Centre, Srikakulam District of ANGRAU, in collaboration with Department of Agriculture, Srikakulam District has introduced ‘Paddy Drum Seeder Technology’ through organizing On-Farm Demonstrations (OFDs) since Kharif, 2011. With help of NABARD “Project on Direct Sowing of Paddy with 8 Row Paddy Drum Seeder” supported under Farmers' Technology Transfer Fund (FTTF) for three years, 2011-12,2012-13 & 2013-14. On Farm Demonstrations were conducted in 5 locations during Kharif season on paddy drum seeder cultivation in Srikakulam District. In general Soils of Srikakulam District are low in organic carbon, low to medium in Phosphorus, medium to high in potassium. Yield in paddy drum seeder technology recorded 12.49% yield over normal method of paddy cultivation during Kharif season. The results from the study showed that the farmers realized the 40.42% increase in net income due to increased grain yield by 12.49% with reduction of cost of cultivation by 14.23%, it could be attributed to reduction in manual labour, it could be attributed to reduction in manual labour of 15 man labour and 32 women labour and also increase in yield attributes and yield and also increase in yield attributes and yield.

Download this article as