Dist gets 10,000 quintals against requirement of 36,000 quintals
On arrival of kharif season, the farmers of Nuapada district eagerly wait for two things — monsoon and paddy seed. The monsoon has arrived, but the farmers are unsure of the arrival of paddy seeds this year as yet.
“Only 10,000 quintals of seed have been provided to the district by the seed corporation, where as the requirement is more than 36,000 quintals,” says Deputy Director of Agriculture (DDA) Antaryami Mandal.
Out of the first lot, Sinapali block has got the highest quantity (3,500 quintals). Boden and Khariar blocks have received 1,305 and 1,259.40 quintals respectively. The rest of the seed has been distributed in Nuapada and Komna blocks. The district is in need of at least 25,000 quintals of seed at present. As the rain has already started, the farmers are in a hurry to get seed in required amount.
More than 300 farmers from different villages of Khariar block had arrived to purchase seeds from the service cooperative society located at Khariar, but they had to return empty-handed as the society was yet to get the stock from the district seed processing centre located at Nuapada. “We have deposited the draft with the Assistant
Seed Processing Officer (ASPO), Nuapada and are waiting for the seed to arrive,” says an official of the society.
There are 26 cooperative societies in the district, but only a few are selling seed. Out of 10 societies in Khariar, Sinapali and Boden blocks of Khariar Assembly constituency, only two are getting seed from the ASPO. All others are not involved in seed supply as they lack fund, manpower and infrastructure.
Paddy is cultivated in more than 76,000 hectares of land in the district, out of which low and medium lands where long and medium variety of paddy is cultivated is 56,000 hectares. The total seed requirement for this is more than 42,000 quintals. The Agriculture Department has estimated the requirement as 36,000 quintals, considering that the rest is met by the farmers from their own source.
“However, this requirement is even not fulfilled and the farmers have to depend on the seed that is out dated, which might have completed three to four cycles,” says Sanjay Tiwari of Krushak Sakti Sangathana, a farmers’ organisation of the district.
“The Agro-industries Department does not provide seed to the societies. It sells seed through private agents, who charge more prices than the societies. We thus demand revival of all the societies by strengthening them with fund, infrastructure and manpower,” adds Tiwari.