TIRUPPUR: A section of farmers in Gudimangalam and Udumalaipet have complained that drumstick seeds they purchased from the seed centre of Tamil Nadu Agriculture University (TNAU) last year were of poor quality and failed to germinate.
T Kuppusamy (30) a farmer in Gudimangalam said, "Because we were wary of substandard seeds in the local market, many of us travelled to TNAU in November last year to buy seeds. I sowed drumstick on 3.5 acres, in the ratio of 1 kilo per acre. Drum stick trees have a growth period of six months. The early growth stage of the trees was good, but after six months, the flowers did not bloom. I found not that several farmers who bought seeds from the university also faced such problems. I spent more than Rs 2 lakhs on fertiliser, urea, insecticide and labour charges. All the effort has gone waste and I am staring at a huge loss."
President of Tamil Nadu Farmers Protection Association - A Esan said, "Many farmers sowed on 10 acres at the rate of one kilo of seeds for two acres. I believe more than 100 acres worth of drumsticks is lost due to substandard seeds."
When contacted, Deputy Director (Seed Inspection) Coimbatore Zone - Venkatachalam, said, "I received complaints about the poor quality of drum sticks and visited several farmlands in Dharapuram, Moolanur, Gudimangalam. After studying the soil type, moisture content, seed germination system, I will submit a report to TNAU and State agriculture department."
An official in TNAU said, "Seed centres are run for the welfare of farmers and we procure from genuine sources. Out of 400 kilos of seeds, just a few kilograms of seeds caused problems. Farmers should follow the technique based on the instructions mentioned in the seed packets. Unscheduled planning methods could also cause such problems. We will conduct a be field visits to the farmlands soon."