The farmers of Athagarh sub-division are suffering a lot due to short supply of paddy seeds by the cooperative societies during this kharif sowing season.
Almost all the 26 cooperative societies under the agricultural district have bought less quantity of seeds from the godown than its yearly indents for which farmers do not get their quality seeds as per indent, said District Agricultural Officer Prafulla Kumar Matti here. He has received complaints from the farmers that the societies do not supply the subsidised quality seeds to farmers as per their indent. He said that since the societies work under the Registrar of Cooperative Department here and in no way liable to him, he has written a letter drawing the attention of the Cooperative Department to sort out the farmers’ problem. As per his knowledge about 1,553 quintals of seed on varieties like Pooja, Swarna, Sarala, 1001, CR 1018 and Naveen have been distributed to farmers through societies and about 450 quintals remain as shortfall. Some private farms, seizing the opportunity, are selling the seed at higher prices. Farmers here have demanded that the Government supply them quality seed in subsidised rate for high yielding, soon.