Irregularities in purchase of ground nut seeds in State

BHUBANESWAR: The State Department of Agriculture has ordered a probe into the alleged irregularities in purchase of ground nut seeds in the State. Following the complaint made by the farmers against the seeds, questions were raised regarding the quality of the seeds supplied to the farmers.

During a field visit, the officials of the Orissa State Seed and Organic Products Certification Agency (OSSOPCA) noticed that the ground nut seeds didn’t germinate after many days of sowing on the field. Due to defect in seeds, 8, 932 acres of land of four districts including Bargarh, Balangir, Dhenkanal and Sundergarh were affected, said the officials.

“We have sowed the ground nut seeds supplied by the State Government, but the seeds didn’t germinate after many days. The seeds were also very poor standard,” said a farmer of Bargarh.

According to the Khariff plan, the State Government had prepared for the ground nut crop in 20,492 acres of land this year and 12,295 quintal of seeds were sanctioned for the estimated crop, but the crop was held in 11,560 acres this year and only 6,936 quintal seeds were used for the crop. The alleged irregularities of the rest 5,369 quintal of seeds, which market value was Rs 2, 70, 00000, left many questions unanswered.

Following the incident, the OSSOPCA has given a letter to four Government organisations and five private firms, who had supplied the seeds, regarding the poor standard of the seeds.

“We have informed our registered farmers after finishing the field visit that the farmers can lodge grievances before us regarding the defective seeds and then we would visit their farm land,” said OSSOPCA director Prabashi Sethi.