Punjab and Haryana governments today said that wheat growers in the states will not face any problem in getting seeds as they have made adequate arrangements for the same for Rabi sowing season.
While Punjab has made available 12 lakh quintals of certified seeds, Haryana has arranged 15 lakh quintals of wheat seeds for farmers, officials said here today.
There were apprehensions that growers may face shortage of wheat seeds in current Rabi season because of extensive damage to crop caused by inclement weather conditions during February and March this year in both states.
"There is not going to be any problem with wheat seeds as sufficient arrangement... Has been made," a senior officer of Punjab Agriculture department said here today.
Out of 12 lakh quintals, 5.5 lakh quintals of seeds will be offered to farmers at subsidised rates, he further said.
"Rest of wheat seed requirements will be fulfilled by farmers themselves as they also keep a reserve for sowing purposes," he said.
Punjab is offering farmers a subsidy equal to the 50 per cent of total cost of seeds or to a maximum of Rs 1,000 per quintal which will be directly transferred to the bank account of applicant farmers and subsidy on wheat seed will be provided for maximum of 5 acre area.
Similarly, Haryana is also offering subsidy on purchase of certified wheat seeds.
Anticipating more requirement of seeds by farmers in the wake of crop damage early this year, Haryana government has made arrangement of 15 lakh quintals as against 12 lakh quintals last year.
"While keeping 60 per cent of seed replacement rate in mind, we have arranged 15 lakh quintals of seed, out of which 5 lakh quintals will be sold by government-owned agencies while rest will be sold by private players," Haryana Additional Chief Secretary Agriculture, Dhanpat Singh said.
The state government has also not allowed private seed sellers for selling wheat to other states till demand of local farmers is met.
With farmers are showing more interest in sowing HD 2967 variety, Haryana government has also decided to buy this variety from Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
One quintal of seed is sufficient for sowing one hectare of land.
Punjab and Haryana are anticipating 35 lakh hectares and 25 lakh hectares of wheat area respectively in Rabi sowing season 2015-16.
