BHUBANESWAR: Thousands of farmers engaged in certified paddy seed production in Odisha have allegedly not received payments for seeds supplied to the Odisha State Seeds Corporation (OSSC) for over six months.
The issue has been raised by OSSC director Ashok Kumar Baral before the chairman Sachin Ramchandra Yadhav seeking immediate intervention to resolve the farmers’ problems.
In a letter to the OSSC chairman, Baral said prolonged non-payment of farmers’ dues has pushed the seed growers into financial distress at the beginning of kharif cultivation season.
Baral said certified seed production has been the backbone of Odisha’s agricultural sector for nearly four decades, with progressive farmers partnering with the corporation to produce quality paddy seeds. However, in recent years the sector has suffered due to the alleged nexus between unscrupulous traders and officials, leading to a sharp decline in certified seed sales.
He said annual sales of certified paddy seeds have fallen from around five lakh quintal to nearly 1.5 lakh quintal, even as the state’s seed replacement rate has declined. He called for a comprehensive review into the reasons behind the falling demand for certified seeds.
The Agriculture department had reportedly instructed the seeds corporation to procure 1.65 lakh quintal of certified paddy seeds for the ongoing kharif season after weak sales last year. However, the corporation procured nearly 1.73 lakh quintal, around four per cent above the target, despite government guidelines permitting only a five per cent buffer for emergency requirements.
Baral alleged that officials are now citing excess procurement as the reason for withholding payments to farmers. Seed growers who supplied paddy seeds during January and February after harvesting the crop in November and December last year are yet to receive their full dues while some have reportedly not received any payment.
Baral said farmers depend on paddy sale proceeds to meet expenses related to cultivation, education, marriages and other family needs. While paddy sold through procurement mandis is generally paid for within a week, certified seed growers are being forced to wait for nearly seven months, he said and warned that delayed payments could adversely affect kharif cultivation.