The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Madurai News : Certified seeds have let us down, complain farmers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jun 19, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Madurai

Certified seeds have let us down, complain farmers

By Our Staff Reporter

MADURAI, JUNE 18. Thirteen farmers of Chellampatti panchayat union today barged into a grievance day meeting held at the Collectorate, displaying cotton plants and complaining that the `certified' hybrid seeds supplied by the Agriculture Department were "defective" and hence led to a huge loss.

However, the Joint Director of Agriculture, P. Ramaraju, denied their charges and attributed the "reduced yield" to adverse climatic condition and lack of proper pest management.

Explaining their plight to the Collector, D. Raajendiran, at the meeting, they said they had bought the `Tamil Nadu Cotton Hybrid 213' variety seeds produced by the Assistant Director of Agriculture, Perambalur, and recommended by agriculture officials in Madurai.

"The officials promised that we would get an yield of 15 or 20 quintals of cotton per acre and so we bought 750 gm of hybrid variety for Rs.413 (subsidised price)," said K. Panbalan, a farmer. But Mr. Ramaraju clarified that the yield mentioned was for one hectare and not for one acre.

Pointing to the drought conditions, the farmers claimed that they had spent a lot on creating additional sources of water. "We have incurred an expenditure of at least Rs.50,000 for digging borewells to irrigate the crop," said M. Ravi of Kodikulam.

Mr. Panbalan claimed that seeds bought from a private company had shown good results, while the hybrid variety had "disappointed us".

The farmers claimed that they did not get any "satisfactory reply" from the officials and demanded a compensation of Rs. 30,000 per acre. They staged a demonstration at Chellampatti on June 14.

Led by the district secretary of the Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam, K. Devaraj, and the State general secretary of the Forward Bloc (Vallarasu), P.V. Kathiravan, they threatened to stage a road roko at Chellampatti on July 1.

Even as the ryots claimed that they followed the agriculture procedures as advised by the department, Mr. Ramaraju said investigation by the department revealed that "adverse climatic conditions, drought and genetic segregation" had led to crop failure.

The high temperature, which prevailed during the "self-pollination" and blossoming period, curtailed cotton boll-bursting and consequently led to reduced yield.

He, however, said that the same hybrid variety had shown good results in Melur and Tirumangalam. These seeds would not be recommended in these areas hereafter, he said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu

News Update

Stories in this Section

Set to assume new responsibilities

Certified seeds have let us down, complain farmers

Biotechnology set for boom: VC

Advocates' stir continues

Around the City

In Madurai Today