Shortage of groundnut seeds hits K’pada, Jajpur farmers

Kendrapada: An acute shortage of groundnut seeds has affected farmers in Kendrapada and Jajpur districts ahead of the sowing season, putting the livelihoods of many farmers at stake.
“The agricultural department has decided to provide certified and subsidised seeds to farmers at Rs 6,500 per quintal, obtained from the Seed Corporation of Odisha (SCO).However, we have not yet received the seeds from SCO. Once we have the seeds, we will distribute them,” said Ratikant Sethi, block agricultural officer of Barachana in Jajpur district.
Bharat Mallick, a farmer from Badachana, said, “With large tracts of riverside land now vacant, farmers are awaiting the arrival of seeds from the agricultural department,” he added.
Umesh Chandra Singh, president of the Krusaka Sabha in Kendrapada, said many farmers are unable to purchase seeds from the open market due to the cost rising every year.
“As a result, around 50,000 farmers who cultivate groundnuts over 80,000 acres of riverside sandy land in both districts are facing difficulties,” added Singh.
Haripada Sahoo, a groundnut farmer from Bharatpur village in Kendrapada district, said many farmers are now being forced to purchase substandard seeds from the open market at prices ranging from Rs 7,000 to Rs 8,000 per quintal.
“Whenever there is shortage in the market, unscrupulous traders take advantage by selling farmers sub-standard seeds, leading to poor groundnut production,” Sahoo added.