BENGALURU: In just 35 days since the last week of April, a whopping 10,288 quintals of sub-standard seeds were seized across the state, highlighting the threat farmers are exposed to, even as they are busy with kharif sowing activities. On an average, this works out to 31,000 kg of poor quality seeds seized every day. So far, cases have been registered against 19 individuals and companies.Farmers are generally advised to buy certified seeds, which are priced a little higher, but they are lured into buying sub-standard seeds, which are cheaper and look much like the certified quality.
“When they use sub-standard seeds, the yield will naturally come down. Farmers take loans to buy seeds, but one of the reasons for suicides among them is that they are not getting good yield,” Agriculture Minister B C Patil told The New Indian Express. He also pointed out that earlier, department officials were not allowed to work and there was interference from outsiders. Many a times, cases would not even be registered, he added.
According to a senior officer, the seized seeds are kept at district warehouses and FIRs have been registered against individuals as well as firms. “These sub-standard seeds are mixed with some chemicals, sometimes with the rejected quality seeds. This often leads to low yield of not more than 60 per cent,’’ he said.Earlier, department officials would register one or two cases in a month and these would be handled by Assistant Public Prosecutors in the courts.
Half of sanctioned posts of agri inspectors vacant
“Now that the number of cases has increased, we are planning to have our own advocates to argue the cases. They will also assist our inspectors in filing case under appropriate Section and Acts. Also, our inspectors are now focusing on giving assistance to farmers,” said the Agriculture Department officer.The Agriculture Department has 5,300 sanctioned posts of inspectors, but shockingly, about half of them are vacant.
In one of his first interviews in February this year, Minister B C Patil had told The New Indian Express that when he was working in the Police Department, he had come across many cases where farmers had been cheated with sub-standard seeds. He had also said that he will approach the DG&IGP for police support to their vigilance teams in cracking down on the spurious seeds mafia.
Officials are involved, says KRS leader
Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) leader Kodihalli Chandrashekar alleged that officials are hand in glove with the mafia. “It is the responsibility of officials to ensure that farmers use quality seeds. They are paid salaries to protect farmers, not the mafia. When thousands of quintals of sub-standard seeds are available, it cannot be without officials being in the know. At the hobli-level Raitha Samparka Kendras, farmers are told to buy seeds from particular companies. Why are criminal cases not filed against such mafia? The seizure of over 10,000 quintals of sub-standard seeds is just the tip of the iceberg,’’ he added.
Germination test of seeds must
Prof M B Rajegowda, agrometeorologist and former registrar of University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Bangalore, said seeds should be tested and certified. Testing can be done at agriculture universities or seed technology units. “Tests are done to check for germination of the seed and survival of the plant. Sub-standard seeds do not germinate in time, or plants do not grow properly. Even if they do, there will be less or no yield,’’ he explained.
Poor quality materials coming from AP?
Between April 26 and May 30, Agriculture Department officials seized 10,288 quintals of sub-standard seeds, mainly of cotton, maize and sunflower. Cases have been registered at Yadgir, Ballari, Haveri, Bagalkot, Dharwad and Davanagere districts. Hundreds of bags of substandard manure and pesticides too have been seized. Most of these materials allegedly came from Andhra Pradesh.