Chandigarh, June 2 -- The phased transplantation of paddy for the current kharif season began in Punjab on Monday, with the government dividing the state into three zones. The state government has imposed a ban on all hybrid varieties owing to low yield and poor grain strength reported by rice millers in the previous season.

"It is not known yet how many farmers have transplanted saplings on the first day. We have allowed (transplantation) from today onwards in a staggered manner," said Punjab agriculture director BS Brar, adding that transplantation will take five to seven days for which the state government had released canal water and provided power supply for tube wells as well.

He added that the department was keeping a vigil to en...