Punjab DSR area rises 36% to over 4 lakh acres in Kharif 2026: Minister

CHANDIGARH: Punjab has recorded a 36 per cent increase in the area under Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR) during the 2026 Kharif season, with more than 4 lakh acres brought under the water-saving cultivation technique, Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian said on Sunday.

According to the final validated data, 31,478 registered farmers adopted DSR across 4 lakh acres this season, compared to 2.94 lakh acres in 2025.

The Punjab government is providing an incentive of Rs 1,500 per acre for DSR cultivation, with the total financial assistance expected to be nearly Rs 61 crore.

Khudian said the sharp rise in DSR adoption reflects growing farmer confidence in the technique as a sustainable alternative to conventional paddy transplantation.

He said the increase of 36 per cent this year was significantly higher than last year's 16 per cent growth.

He said DSR helps save 15 to 20 per cent of irrigation water per acre, making it an important tool in addressing Punjab's depleting groundwater levels.

Fazilka recorded the highest DSR coverage in the state with 1,55,422.77 acres under the technique by 12,063 farmers. Sri Muktsar Sahib ranked second with 1,06,038.81 acres cultivated by 7,345 farmers, followed by Ferozepur with 38,088.59 acres under DSR by 1,929 farmers.

Bathinda and Sangrur also figured among the top five districts in terms of DSR coverage.

The minister said the state government is providing continuous technical guidance and field-level support to encourage wider adoption of DSR in the coming years.

He directed district-level agriculture officers to ensure speedy verification of claims and timely disbursal of the DSR incentive to eligible farmers.

Khudian said the initiative was aimed not only at supporting farmers financially but also at promoting long-term groundwater conservation in the state.