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Other News |
Seed-Crisis in Netrakona |
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December 7, 2000 Netrakona, Dec 6 (UNB) – Taking advantage of acute shortage of IRRI-Boro seeds, some unscrupulous traders are selling adulterated seed packing in BADC sealed up sacks. Local farmers of the district particularly in haor areas could not to preserve quality seeds due to numerous reasons including early flood last year. As a result, they are solely dependent on the seeds of BADC. But the BADC seed dealers cannot cope with the huge demand of the growers, who come from distant areas every day, said the sources. A section of unscrupulous businessmen packing sub-standard seeds in BADC sacks are selling it to the cultivators at an exorbitant price. Local Agriculture Extension Department sources said some 1.35 lakh hectares of land would be brought under Boro farming this year in 10 upazilas of the district. About 50 metric tons of seeds are needed and farmers are desperately trying to collect seeds, as it must be sown by this month for better production. Local BADC office sources said last year they procured 20 mts of seeds from the head office. Despite the increase of arable land they received only 10 mts this year. Besides,
there are huge demands of BR-29 seeds in the district as growers harvested
a bumper production using the seed last year. But this year only five
metric tons of BR-29 seeds have been allocated for the district. When
contacted, a local BADC (seed) official told UNB that they have taken
measures for more allocation of seeds to meet the increasing demand. Meanwhile,
cultivation of winter crops is being hampered due to acute scarcity of
seeds caused due to short supply. BADC
has distributed 15 varieties of vegetable seeds including wheat, maize and
potato in the district less than the requirement, said sources. |