Bidar: After distributing seeds at one-fourth the cost during the kharif season, the State Government has decided to do the same during rabi. However, there is a mixed reaction to the idea.

One section feels that traditional seeds do not help in getting farmers the yield that hybrid seeds do. "For example, a native variety of cotton seed provides only one-sixth the yield of a hybrid seed. This means lower production and lower profit margins," says progressive farmer Rashid Khan of Ghodwadi, who grows red gram.

"Hybrid seeds are designed in the laboratory and grown in experimental fields under the supervision of qualified agricultural scientists. These seeds have guaranteed high yield and are resistant to some pests. You can never expect an ordinary farmer to produce such seeds in his field. He lacks the resources and skills to do so. It is always profitable to buy hybrid seeds. I have been doing so for 16 years and never had a problem. Providing subsidy is a good idea as all farmers do not have the resources to buy hybrid seeds that have a premium on their actual cost," he said.

But organic farmer Sankat Mochan Patil says the Government has enslaved farmers and made them lethargic by providing them seeds. "For thousands of years, farmers have been saving the best portion of their crops for seeds. The Government has eliminated this practice for a few thousand rupees."

He said that once a farmer uses hybrid seeds, he is forced to use them forever. Hybrid seeds are made in such a way that the crop cannot be used as seed next year.

Thus, a farmer who uses a particular company's seed has no alternative but to get it from the firm's stall, unless he wants to change the crop. This may lead to exploitation as the normal hybrid seed is 30 times costlier than native seeds. The Government should try to encourage people and not make them lazy," he says.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader and Karnataka Raitha Kooligarara Sangha secretary Baburao Ghattarga, says giving subsidised seeds is a ploy by the Government to provide a market for multinational seed companies.

"For instance, the State Government spent Rs. 35 crore on buying seeds from private companies this kharif season. The Government plans to spend another Rs. 40 crore during rabi. Most of the bidders are MNCs. How else could they get to sell such a huge quantity of seeds within a short time?"

He feels the farmers have not been greatly benefited by this exercise. The Government has provided seeds to 97,000 farmers in Bidar at a cost of Rs. 5 crore. This means the Government has spent Rs. 520 on each farmer. "Is that a great favour?"

Mr. Ghattarga also questions the logic behind providing subsidised seeds to all farmers and not just small and marginal ones.

The JD (S)-BJP Government gave up the practice of giving subsidies to small and marginal farmers. "This defeats the whole purpose of supporting poor farmers. Why help someone who can help himself?" He also points out to complaints by some farmers in Gulbarga and Koppal where the seeds provided by the Government have not been useful at all.

Decentralised

Agriculture Minister Bandeppa Kashempur, however, allays these fears.

"We have decentralised the distribution of seeds to minimise irregularities. We will blacklist companies providing poor quality seeds and take action against those involved in irregularities," he said.

He defended the Government's decision to distribute seeds, as a welfare measure. Use of hybrid seeds is an accepted practice now. "We are giving hybrid seeds as most farmers use them. However, we are also promoting organic farming. If after some years, a large majority switches over to organic farming, the Government will do a rethink on its policies," he said.

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