Lockdown hits paddy seed growers across Odisha. Unless permission is granted for movement of labourers, it would not be possible to operate the seeds processing units.
Sources in the Agriculture department said the seed processing units and testing labs find it difficult to operate in the absence of labourers due to lockdown.
BHUBANESWAR: The lockdown continues to hit agriculture sector by cutting off farmers from buyers of their produce. Registered growers of seeds stare at a huge loss after the State Government agencies stopped procurement from them.
“Though seeds of food crops comes under essential commodities and the State Governments have been allowed to expand list depending on their assessment of situation, farmers involved in seed production have been running from pillar to post to sell their stock to the Government,” said Basant Barik, a progressive farmer of Balasore district.
Farmers registered with Odisha State Seeds Corporation (OSSC) are unable to process seeds in the processing units of their districts despite instruction from Agriculture department to the Collectors to allow them to operate.
Even as some Collectors have lifted restriction on the operation of seed processing units, the farmers are not allowed to move out of their house, Barik said.
“We are facing similar problems and our request to the district administration to give permission for movement of paddy seeds for processing and testing at the laboratory of Odisha State Seed And Organic Products Certification Agency (OSSOPCA) fell on deaf years,” said Ganesh Nayak of Sanakhemudi block of Ganjam district.
The months between March and May are crucial for preparing seeds for forthcoming kharif season. The farmers can not keep seeds for long as they don’t have the facility to store it using scientific method. “If the seeds fail to qualify laboratory test, the Seeds Corporation will reject it. We will have no option but to sell it an non-seed with lesser prices whereas the cost of seed production is very high,” they said.
Sources in the Agriculture department said the seed processing units and testing labs find it difficult to operate in the absence of labourers due to lockdown. Unless permission is granted for movement of labourers, it would not be possible to operate the seeds processing units.
Traditionally seeds sowing operation for the ensuing kharif paddy starts from Akshya Tritiya. The auspicious day of the agriculture calender is falling on April 26 this year. The State Government has set a target to produce 4.5 lakh quintals of certified paddy seeds for the ensuing kharif crops. The OSSC has already procured 2.5 lakh quintal.
Farm crisis
The State Government has set a target to produce 4.5 lakh quintals of certified paddy seeds for the ensuing kharif crop The OSSC has already procured 2.5 lakh quintal The farmers can not keep seeds for long as they don’t have the facility to store it using scientific method.
Source: This story first appeared in The New Indian Express News Feed without any modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.
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