Haryana Plans to Manage 55 Lakh Tonnes of Paddy Straw This Kharif Season

Haryana has prepared a multi-part plan to manage paddy residue during the 2026 Kharif season, with the state targeting around 55 lakh metric tonnes of crop residue through different management methods. The plan includes in-situ treatment, ex-situ use, fodder and other measures aimed at reducing the need for farmers to burn paddy straw.

The issue becomes important each year after paddy harvesting, when farmers have a short window to clear fields before sowing the next crop. Burning can be a quick way to remove residue, but the state is now trying to expand alternatives that allow farmers to manage the straw while preparing fields on time.

Under the proposed plan, Haryana’s agriculture department expects to manage about 45 lakh tonnes of paddy straw through in-situ methods.

In-situ management means the residue remains in the field and is incorporated or managed using machinery and suitable agricultural practices.

This approach allows farmers to avoid removing large quantities of straw from their fields. It can also return organic material to the soil when properly managed.

The state is also planning to use machinery and other farm-level measures to help farmers complete residue management within the limited period between harvesting and the next sowing season.

Another 10 Lakh Tonnes Targeted for Fodder

The state plan also proposes using around 10 lakh tonnes of paddy residue as fodder.

This creates a second route for straw that cannot be economically managed within the field.

Using suitable crop residue as livestock feed can give agricultural waste an economic value, but the material needs to be collected, stored and processed properly before it reaches animals.

The approach could also create work around baling, transportation and storage, particularly in villages where large quantities of paddy straw are generated.

Haryana Generated 85 Lakh Tonnes in 2025

The scale of the challenge becomes clearer from last year’s figures.

Haryana estimated that farmers generated around 85 lakh tonnes of crop residue in 2025. Of this, about 44 lakh tonnes were managed through in-situ methods, 19 lakh tonnes through ex-situ methods and 22 lakh tonnes were used as fodder.

The 2026 strategy builds on these existing methods instead of depending on a single solution.

This matters because farms differ in size, machinery access and local markets. A farmer with access to a baler and a nearby biomass buyer may have different options from a farmer who needs to prepare the field quickly.

Machines and Markets Both Matter

Farm machinery can help farmers manage residue without burning it, but machines alone cannot solve the problem.

Farmers need access to equipment when harvesting begins. They also need affordable services and enough time to complete residue management before the next crop is planted.

For residue collected from fields, markets are equally important. Biomass plants, fodder users and other industries can create demand for straw if collection and transportation costs remain manageable.

Haryana’s plan therefore combines field-level management with off-field uses of crop residue.

The Main Test Will Come After Harvest

The state has set clear targets for the 2026 Kharif season, but the real test will begin when paddy harvesting starts.

Farmers will need timely access to machinery, clear information about available options and buyers for residue that leaves the field.

If these systems work together, more paddy straw can be managed without burning. The approach can also turn part of the residue into fodder or biomass instead of treating it only as a waste product.

For Haryana farmers, the success of the plan will depend on one practical question: can residue be removed or managed quickly enough, and at a cost farmers can afford, before the next crop has to be sown?