BARIPADA: Acute shortage of paddy seeds has emerged as a cause of concern for farmers of Rairangpur sub-division and Balasore district ahead of kharif season.
Unavailability of seeds in government agencies has been forcing the farmers to buy it at exorbitant prices from the open market.
The groundwork for paddy cultivation usually begins in May and continues up to the last week of June. However, this year, owing to shortage of seeds, the process has been delayed.
Hundreds of farmers of Badamtalia area in Rairangpur sub-division are facing a tough time as Large Area Multi- Purpose Society (LAMP) is yet to supply seeds to them.
Rajendra Singh, a farmer, said LAMPS authorities and senior officers of the Agriculture department are not taking the initiative to provide adequate amount of seeds to farmers.
He said if farmers do not utilise the time to prepare their land for paddy cultivation, then they will have to wait for next season.
As per government reports, while LAMPS at Bisoi has 205 quintals of seeds, the one at Manda has 100 quintals, Bijatala 50 quintal, Rairangpur 50 quintal, Guhaldangra 100 quintal, Hatabada 180 quintal, Bahalda 60 quintal, Tiring 60 quintal, Badadundu 30 quintal, Jamda 30 quintal and Dhangidimuta 180 quintal.
The quantity of seeds available with LAMPS is not enough to meet the requirement of farmers. Sources said farmers in Khaira block of Balasore district too are worried about inadequate supply of paddy seeds from the Government.
A few farmers alleged that they had suffered losses due to distress sale of paddy earlier this year and now shortage of seeds has become a concern.
This year, 14 cooperative societies and five licensed agencies have been authorised to supply seeds to farmers in the district.
However, the majority of societies have not yet lifted seeds from Odisha State Seeds Corporation (OSSC). Sources said till date, 11 societies have lifted only 401 quintal of seeds from the corporation.
The licensed agencies have sold 100 quintal of seeds to the farmers. While the demand for seeds is 2,000 quintal, only 508 quintal have been supplied to the farmers in the district.
Assistant Agriculture Officer of Khaira block Basudev Satpathy said societies have been asked to lift the stock from OSSC and the farmers will be supplied with adequate seeds soon.