Though the sowing time is lesser in case of hybrids, tall claims on yield potential made by the companies have not translated on the fields. Punjab has about 23 lakh hectares of area under rice and a very small percentage of this— less than 1 per cent — is under hybrid rice.

Surinder Singh, who owns Brar Seed Farm right outside Punjab Agricultural University, says, “Hybrid rice was quite popular in Punjab at one time. We sold 40 to 50 quintals of hybrid rice seed each year. However, over the last few years, claims of a yield of 35 to 40 quintal per hectare have fallen flat.”

Brar adds, “We sell the Monsanto varieties of hybrid rice seeds and going by the response from the farmers, we will not be able to see more than 4 quintals of seed this season.”

Explaining the reason behind shifting to the conventional varieties, Balwant Singh, a farmer from Khanna, says, “The yield of hybrid rice is on a par with that of the normal varieties.

The university has come up with a variety called PAU 201, besides we have PUSA and PR varieties, whose yield is above 30 quintal per hectare. So rather than buying the expensive hybrid seed that costs Rs 200 per kg, we prefer the PAU 201 that costs Rs 20 per kg.”

Balwinder Singh Sidhu, director, Department of Agriculture, says, “The main reason for promoting hybrid rice was to save the depleting underground water table. Hybrid rice takes lesser time to mature than the conventional varieties. Some varieties mature in just 90 days. But to take it to the farmers we have to promise them the higher yield.”

Hybrid variety at a glance

* Hybrid rice technology was introduced in India in 70s

* As per claims, the hybrid variety has helped China increase its rice production by 200 million tonnes from 1976 to 1991

* Amount of seed required in hybrid rice is less than the seed used in conventional high yielding varieties

* Hybrid rice cultivation is said to be economically viable

* Hybrid seeds mature in shorter duration and are resistant to major pests and diseases