Patna, May 26: The state agriculture department has decided to provide cono weeders to paddy farmers for better yield.

For the uninitiated, a cono weeder is a rotary, mechanical hand-weeding machine meant to pluck out weeds from wet paddy fields.

The decision to provide the equipment to the farmers has been taken as agriculture is the backbone of the state economy — 81 per cent of the population is employed in agriculture production — and around 5.6 lakh hectares of the total land in Bihar is used for paddy cultivation.

A.N. Roy, the deputy director of agriculture department, said: “Paddy consumption is increasing manifold although the area under cultivation is decreasing. To increase productivity, new methods of production are needed, for which the system of rice intensification (Sri) was introduced. The state agriculture department this year has decided to use around 3.5 hectares for Sri cultivation in a massive way.”

For a good yield, proper weeding is necessary and so the cono weeders.

Roy said: “Weeding is important to increase the yield and a good production. A Coimbatore-based company, KSNM Marketing, has been approached to provide the cono weeders. This season, the government has ordered 1,13,500 cono weeders from this company.”

He added: “This equipment will be given to the farmers at a subsidised rate. A cono weeder costs Rs 800 but it will be available to the farmers for Rs 500. Agricultural fairs will be organised in all 38 districts of Bihar and farmers will be taught about the equipment’s advantages and usage.”

Elaborating on a cono weeder, C.V. Madeswaran, chief executive officer, KSNM Marketing, said: “It has conical rotors mounted in tandem with opposite orientation. Smooth and serrated blades are mounted alternatively on the rotor to uproot and bury the weeds, which later acts as manure. A successful Sri depends on the use of cono weeder three to four times. The successful use of this agricultural equipment will increase yield by 30 to 40 per cent.”

Madeswaran added: “The main feature of a cono weeder is that it works on pull and push movement that removes weeds satisfactorily.”

Madeswaran also advocated the benefits of the manual equipment. Not only is a cono weeder easy to operate, chemical free and cost-effective, it also helps in better development of root system and conserving soil moisture.

He also said: “A farmer needs to weed his land within 20 days of sowing — this is the first weeding, which is essential for best results. Late weeding will lead to conflict between paddy and the weeds, which will ultimately damage the crop. Second, the equipment needs to be used in a back and forth movement for the best results. The process, then, needs to be repeated after 15 days of the first weeding and so on for four times.”