Drone sows paddy seeds in 110 acres of fields in Pattanakkad, Ernakulam

Aroor: Incorporating technology with traditional farming knowledge, seeds are being sowed at the Pattanakkad Chembakassery fields using drones. The method that was successfully implemented in the paddy fields in Kuttanad was tried at the 110 acres paddy field in Pattanakad. The Vaikom Karinila Karshaka Samiti will be growing paddy here this year. The sowing was overseen by noted paddy farmer and agriculture expert EN Dasappan. Although the persistent rains had caused trouble for the drone, the sowing was successfully completed. 

Among the fields where pokkali variety is cultivated in Cherthala taluk, paddy grains are being sowed only in Chembakassery this year. Seeds could be scattered in an acre of land within 1.5 minutes using a drone. When drone sows, the seeds fall with proper gap between the rows. So, sturdy saplings could be grown using minimal number of seeds. 

Uma variety of paddy was sowed using drone at Chembakassery. EN Dasappan said that sowing could be completed within a few days using drone. District panchayat vice president NS Shivaprasad inaugurated the program. Panchayat president TS Jasmine, vice president MK Jayapal, panchayat member PK Binoy, agriculture officer R Aswathy, karshaka sangham president KP Harilal, CD Asad, KG Priyadarshanan, KV Chamsilal, Selvaraj, MG Raghuvaran, TK Ramanathan, KD Shivaraj and EN Sundaran spoke at the event.