PARADIP: It is double whammy for farmers of Jagatsinghpur. After their crops were battered by flood, they are now facing shortage of seeds for the ensuing rabi season. Many are being forced to buy seeds from the open market.The last flood destroyed crops over 8,000 hectares - paddy and vegetables - in Tirtol, Kujang, Balikuda, Nuagaon, Biridi and Jagatsinghpur blocks.The officials had assured these farmers to supply seeds at subsidised rate for the rabi season and compensation for the crops lost. No such step, however, has been taken till now.The potato cultivators seem to be the worst hit. The Horticulture Department had targeted to cultivate 4,000 acres for potato in the rabi season and also assured farmers to provide seeds on subsidy.After the flood, the soil quality of riverside agricultural lands is considered conducive for cultivation of potatoes. At this time when farmers need seeds badly to go ahead with cultivation, they are not available at Government outlets. Seed varieties like ‘Cufree Jyoti’ and ‘K-22’ are the most sought after by farmers. They are procured from Jalandhar and Nainital.And as per the target, 15,000 to 20,000 quintals of seeds are required for cultivation of 4,000 acres. Farmers lamented that not a kg of seed has been supplied to them till date.“We cannot wait for the department to supply us seeds so we are forced to buy them from open market at the cost of ` 15 to ` 20 a kg,” said a flood-hit farmer Sukant Rout of Kolar under Tirtol block. Similar is the case with groundnut and seeds of other vegetables.With no help in sight, farmers under the aegis of Nab Nirman Krushak Sangathan have threatened to hit the streets if the department did not initiate any measure to address the issue.
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