UP Govt to Provide Farmers With 88 Drones on 40% Subsidy for Fertilizer Spraying

According to officials, in a bid to assist farmers to maintain their crops and fields, agricultural committees and self-help groups in Uttar Pradesh will be provided drones at a 40 per cent subsidy.

In the first phase, farmer’s groups, cooperative societies, and agriculture graduates will be eligible for subsidies.

They will provide drones to farmers on rent. With this method, a large area of 75 per cent of districts will be covered in less time.

Girish Chandra, deputy director of the agriculture department said, “As many as 88 drones in UP will be provided in the first phase.”

A Drone is capable of carrying 10 to 12 kg of nano (liquid) urea or pesticide and can spray the fertilizer on sugarcane crops across eight bighas of land in 10 minutes, according to officials.

Drones will help in reducing both the time and cost of production at the same time.

Last year in Bijnor's Mandawali village, farmers witnessed the first-of-its-kind trial of nano urea by the sugarcane department

"Farmers use five times more urea than prescribed by scientists and its excessive use pollutes soil, air, and groundwater,” claimed the chief regional manager of IFFCO, Shailendra Singh.

Only 30% of dry nitrogen fertilizer is absorbed by the crops normally whereas, in the case of nano urea, 86% is absorbed by the plants and it is easily sprayed on crops by drones.

J P Chaudhary, joint director of the agriculture department said, "The drones cost between Rs 7-10 lakhs each. The government will provide a 40% subsidy to the beneficiaries. Agriculturists will be able to use the latest technology to expand the yield of the crops. Drones can spray fertilizer and pesticides on the standing crops.”

Meanwhile, a farmer from Rambaag, Rupesh Kumar said, “The target for subsidy provided by the agriculture department should be extended so that more farmers can purchase it at low cost”.