BHUBANESWAR: Registered seed growers of Bargarh district has petitioned the State Government against Odisha State Seeds Corporation (OSSC) for non-payment of subsidy amounting `1.5 crore for certified groundnut seeds they have been purchasing from the corporation since 2009.In a petition to the Agriculture Secretary, farmers of seven blocks of Bargarh district said the Corporation has not paid their subsidy for the groundnut seeds they had purchased in 2014.
Fixing the price of groundnut seeds at `4,000 per quintal, the Government had announced subsidy of `2,400 per quintal. The seed growers had paid the full cost and the subsidy amount should be deposited in their accounts. The Corporation has not paid the subsidy amount even after four years, said Sarat Chandra Pradhan of Padmpur block in Bargarh district.
The subsidy is provided by the Central Government under the Sub-Mission for Seed and Planting Material (SMSP) scheme of the National Mission on Agricultural Extension and Technology (NMAET). SMSP covers the entire gamut of seed production chain, from production of nucleus seed to supply of certified seeds to the farmers.
Similarly, the OSSC has not reimbursed the subsidy for groundnut breeder seeds which the farmers had purchased from the Corporation for 11 years since 2009.“Only 50 per cent farmers had received their subsidy amount for the breeder seeds they had purchased for 2015 kharif season,” the memorandum said.
They further complained that the incentives announced by the Centre for production of certified groundnut seeds under SMSP have not been paid for four years from 2014 to 2017 rabi season. Under the scheme, a seed grower is entitled for an incentive of `750 per quintal.
Registering their protest against the low price fixed for groundnut seeds, the Bargarh farmers have expressed their inability to supply certified seeds to the Corporation at the price fixed by the State Government.
The Corporation has fixed the price of certified groundnut seed at `6,350 per quintal for 2018 rabi season against the last year price of `6,500 per quintal. “The Corporation has reduced the rate even after assuring the farmers of a better price than last year,” Rajendra Prasad Agarwal, another farmer of Padampur said.
“It would not be possible for us to supply processed groundnut seeds to the Corporation if the cost was not revised to `7,500 per quintal,” the memorandum said.The farmers have served a copy of the memorandum to Agriculture Minister, Director Agriculture and Managing Director of OSSC.