MEERUT: A group of farmers in Ditauli Village witnessed with sharp interests when a large flying machine took off.
It lifted a 10 liter pesticide tank and sprayed it on the plant in minutes, surprised everyone.
The same task will take the day.
Drones for farmers are being promoted by farm scientists Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel First (SVBPAU), who have held demonstrations in various villages.
They said it was quite effective in terms of reach but also in mitigating health risks faced by farmers who walk through fields with handheld sprayers, exposing themselves to toxic chemicals.
In addition, it will help overcome labor shortages.
“This technique is very helpful, especially for rice and sugar cane, where negotiating the road through every corner and angle of vegetation is impossible and some parts of the plant are left from the spray.
The cost of drones is Rs 6 Lakh and can spray plants in one hectare in 15 minutes,” Sengar Hospital said, agricultural scientist, biotechnology department, College of Agriculture, Svbpau.
The company based in Chennai has been tied with a university for the supply of drones “the use of drone technology will run away in attracting youth towards agriculture,” said RK Mittal, Deputy Chancellor, Svbpau.
According to university resources, drone-based techniques will reduce the cost of spraying almost half because 700 ml of pesticides are used to cover the area of one hectare under the conventional system, but with drones, only half the amount will be needed, reduce input costs.
High equipment costs are still a challenge.
Bhoop Singh Chaudhary, a farmer in the village, suggested, “At this time, we think that some farmers can jointly buy equipment instead of one cost.” Until now, the agricultural drone was being used to spray pesticides on rice, peanuts, gram red, cotton and soybean plants in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Chhattisgarh among other countries.
Drones to help plant sprays for fetter farmers
