Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are becoming paddy farmers’ new friend. With the ‘puncha’ (first) crop season in full swing in Kuttanad and other parts of Alappuzha, farmers are deploying drones for aerial application of micronutrients, nano-urea and biopesticides to plants and aerial surveys.
According to sprayer drone operators and officials, UAVs have been deployed for aerial plant spraying in over 10,000 acres in the district so far this season, up from 6,000 acres the previous season.
Increased yield
Farmers using UAVs say they are now less worried about labour shortage and high labour costs at least in regard to the foliar application of micronutrients and biopesticides. Sameer P., a paddy farmer from Cherthala, has been using drones on his field for the past four years. “The biggest advantage of deploying a drone is that it saves a lot of time. Also, it can spray nutrients/biopesticides evenly on all plants. As drones are equipped with a precision spraying control system, it releases precise doses without wastage. My own experience is that I am receiving more yield nowadays compared to the years when I applied micronutrients manually,” says Mr. Sameer who owns a sprayer drone.
The cost for spraying an acre of paddy field is around ₹800, including ₹700 as rent for the drone, and the price of micronutrients. The Agriculture department and agencies like Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) are making all-out efforts to popularise drone technology in agriculture and address apprehensions of people through demonstrations and classes.
“Farmers have started showing a great interest in UAVs. Like combine harvesters, drone technology will be embraced by most farmers soon. As part of the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization scheme of the Central government, individual farmers are provided 40% subsidy for buying drones, while farmer groups will get up to 80% subsidy,” says Sibi T. Neendissery, principal agricultural officer, Alappuzha, adding that more sprayer drone operators are needed.
The KVK, Alappuzha has used the technology on 225 acres spread across five polders on an experimental basis in the last two ‘puncha’ seasons. “The results are good. After our demonstrations, some of the padasekhara samithis (paddy polders) have switched to drone technology,” says P. Muralidharan, senior scientist and head, KVK, Alappuzha.
Though drones are used for spraying secondary nutrients, micronutrients, nano-urea and biopesticides, no permission has been granted to deploy UAVs for applying chemical pesticides and other fertilizers.
Devan Chandrasekharan, managing director of Fuselage Innovations, a start-up that operates sprayer drones in Alappuzha, says they have slashed the drone rental rate from ₹800 to ₹700 after more farmers switched to the technology this season.
