Acute shortage of ‘Swarna Masuri’ variety paddy seed hit farmers. The shortage of the seed is seen as an immediate impact of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. The seed has great demand in the ongoing kharif season but it is not available throughout the State.
As far as East Godavari is concerned, a total of 1.10 quintals of seed of all varieties are required for kharif season. In addition to this, seed retailers of East and West Godavari districts get 20,000 to 25,000 quintals of Swarna Masuri variety from Karimnagar and Warangal district.
When contacted, Joint Director of Agriculture, East Godavari, K. Vijayakumar said the much-sought after Swarna Masuri was being imported from Karimnagar and Warangal every year at it was not available locally. He said the Agriculture Department did not recommend production of Swarna Masoori variety to farmers, as the germination rate was not more than 50 per cent.
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“When it is in the panicle stage, mites attack at the germination point, destroying total crop. So, we don’t recommend this crop”, he said adding that the ‘seed village’ programme and farmer-to-farmer programme had generated employment.
But the farmers of delta region, particularly from Konaseema, have been agitating in protest against non-availability of Swarna Masuri seed. “The agriculture department has failed to supply adequate quantity of Swarna Masoori variety seed to farmers who know that this particular variety gives 30 bags per acre. We are now looking for an alternative and may go for a crop holiday”, says K. Kumara Swami, farmers’ leader.