Centre twice lowered bar to clear failing soyabean seeds

NAGPUR: As farmers in Maharashtra and other states like neighbouring Telangana are complaining about soyabean seeds failing to germinate, Union agriculture ministry had curiously relaxed the standards for the seed quality certification twice this year.
The case of defective soyabean seeds has also drawn the state government’s attention and the agriculture minister Dadaji Bhuse has assured to replace the seeds.
Under the earlier norms, soyabean seeds could be passed or given a seal of quality by laboratories if 70% of the lot germinated. On April 15 this year, the Union ministry sent a letter to all state-level certification agencies, including that in Maharashtra, informing that the benchmark has been reduced to 65%. The agencies were advised to follow the relaxed norms. Another order was issued on June 9 further reducing the benchmark to 60%. By that time early sowing was already done.
Both the letters did not have any explanation for the change in norms. Though to compensate for the loss, the quantity of seeds in per bag was increased on pro rata basis, without any extra charge. The packets needed to have a marking with red ink, reading ‘relaxed germination standards.’ TOI has a copy of both the orders.
Even as no reasons were mentioned in the relaxation order, sources privy to the development say this happened after large amount of seeds failed certification tests in labs. In Nagpur, the government lab, which covers entire Vidarbha, rejected as much as 70% of the seeds sent by private companies. Eighty per cent of the seeds from government agencies were also turned back.
This was four times of the normal rejection rate. Last year, around 16% of the soyabean seeds were rejected.
Even as the relaxed norms helped in maintaining supplies in the market, farmers have been left complaining about the seed quality. In Vidarbha alone, the state’s agriculture department has received more than 1,000 complaints of defective seeds.
A source in Mahabeej — Maharashtra State Seeds Corporation — said heavy rains during soyabean harvest last year damaged the seeds which were extracted for the next sowing season. This damage seems to have affected the germination too.
Soyabean seeds are a delicate variety and are subject to damage even due to rough handling. There are stricter norms for stacking the sacks too. The seeds cannot tolerate even slightly higher pressure due to the extra weight, and fail to germinate, said a source in the state’s agriculture department.
This year, the farmers were advised to use the seed extracted from their own fields for the next sowing season. “Farmers often don’t wait till it rains enough... early sowing can also be a reason for lack of germination,” said an official.
In Vidarbha, farmers had increased the area under soyabean following losses in cotton cultivation last year.
Veteran Shetkari Sangathana leader Vijay Jawandhia has questioned the move to relax the norms saying it can be misleading for farmers. “The norms should be stricter because soyabean seeds are inherently more susceptible to damage,” he said.
Chairman of Vasantrao Naik Shetkari Swavalamban Mission Kishore Tiwari has called for an inquiry in the matter.