Implication of residue losses of wheat/paddy due to its burning vis a vis buffering of dry fodder by practicing manual oepareshan

Jitendra Dwivedi
Coordinator
Gorakhpur Environmental Action Group (GEAG)
In Indian economy, especially Indo-Gangetic plain region the major share of occurred by the farming of rice-wheat cropping system. Rice-Wheat rotation has emerged as the most important food production system in the Eastern U.P. too. Besides being a main stay of food security system of India, it provides livelihood to million of families. The sustainability of this system is, however, threatened by decline/stagnation in productivity, dwindling water resources, multi nutritional deficiencies, high energy input, declining soil health and other environmental problems. Recently, prevalent tillage and residue management practices employed in this system have become a critical issue because of escalating energy cost, environmental pollution and loss of plant nutrients caused by burning of crop residues .Gorakhpur district of Eastern UP stands much promising for the production of wheat and paddy and having sizable acreage which generates the potential income and employment of this region. Similarly Gorakhpur district emerges the present effect of mechanical / combines harvesting of paddy and wheat and resulting consequent effect in terms of ill health of soil, environmental issues and soil nutrient losses occurring in short term/long term basis. As traditional manual harvesting practices incorporated all the merits in favouring to supplying fodder to livestock’s without spoiling the soil health and environmental status. Mechanical operation having only merit to reduce a little bit of cost expenditure per acre basis along with compensating dependence on manual labour during peak season of paddy and wheat. Looking to these facts the present investigation attempted to analyse comparative analysis of losses of residue burning and its consequent effect to the soil/environmental status vis a vis manual labour harvesting of paddy and wheat. Methodology:For the study a detail methodology was incorporated as follows. Frequent visit and focal group discussion were made and randomly procure the information from the farmer’s fields, to asses the variability in prevalent residue management practices at the surrounding of the Gorakhpur district under the jurisdiction of Gorakhpur Environmental Action Group (GEAG). The real fact of information conceived and exposed the very pertinent information related to net residue loss, soil nutrient loss, specially carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, potash, and sulphur, degeneration of bacterial composition of soil and quantum of soil loss. Estimation of losses Aspect Per hec. Rs.In Gorakhpur as a whole Rs.Residue use value20 qt.@ 100/qt. = 2000 (in form of fodder)93630 ha.× 20 = 1872600qt187260000
Nutrient Carbon1000 Kg. -936300-Nitrogen 15 Kg. (33 Kg. Urea) 19830897.90 Qt. 18538740Phosphorus .5 Kg. (1.08 Kg. DAP)111011.20 Qt.1011204Potash 8.75 Kg. (15 Kg MOP)7514044.50 Qt.7022250Sulphur1.2 Kg. (1.5 Kg. Sulphur 901404.45 Qt.6741360Total 374983658.05 Qt.3,33,13,554
It is evident from the table 4 that per hectare residue burnt after mechanical operation accounted i.e. 20 qt. where as per hectare nutrient loss as available in residue of wheat/paddy resulted in the form of carbon was estimated 1000 Kg, Nitrogen 15 Kg, Phosphorus 0.5 kg, potash 8.75 Kg and Sulphur 1.2 Kg. so far. How ever, in value form as corresponded nutrient loss of nitrogen as was Rs. 198, followed by Rs. 90 (Sulphur) Rs. 75 (Potash) and Rs. 11 (phosphorus), respectively. Along with total nutrient losses valued in Rs. 374/hectare In respect of Gorakhpur district as a whole, the total residue burnt after mechanical operation was accounted i.e. 1872600 quintal. Where as nutrient losses as a whole were found carbon 936300 quintal, nitrogen 30897.90 quintal, phosphorus 1011.20 quintal, potash 14044.50 quintal and sulphur 1404.45 quintal. so for. However in value form as corresponded nutrient loss was Rs. 18538740 of nitrogen, Rs. 1011204 (phosphorus), Rs. 7022250 (Potash) and Rs. 6741360 (sulphur) respectively along with total nutrient losses as a whole valued in Rs. 33313554 (approx Three Crore Thirty three lakhs) Input analysis: (Mechanical/manual harvesting) Input/acre (Wheat) Mechanical (Rs.)Manual (Rs.)Difference (Rs.)Labour (harvesting & therasing) 800-850Man days per day15 × 50 = 75004 × 25 = 100-Tractor charges 1000 Fodder loss 9 quintal = 900 -Total17251850125
Table 5 BIt is obvious from table that by employing mechanical operation for harvesting of wheat was estimated Rs. 1725/acre where as, by manual operation the harvesting of wheat was accounted Rs. 1850/acre. By comparing mechanical verses manual operation of wheat was accounted i.e. Rs. 125/acre as favouring lowering cost in corporate in mechanical operation Input/acre (Paddy) Mechanical (Rs.)Manual (Rs.)Difference (Rs.)Labour (harvesting & therasing) 800-85014 ×50 = 70005 × 50 = 250-Tractor charges 300 Fodder loss 9 quintal = 900 --Total17251250475
In respect of harvesting of paddy was estimated Rs। 1725/acre where as, as by manual operation the harvesting of paddy was accounted Rs. 1250/acre. by comparing of mechanical verses manual operation of paddy was accounted i.e. Rs. 475 as favouring lowering cost incorporated in manual operation.