Baripada: Farmers in Baldiha panchayat of Shyamkhunta block in Mayurbhanj district are a worried lot as the seeds they had purchased and sown as per recommendations of agriculture officials have not flowered even four months after sowing, a report said.
The seeds of a particular company had been sown on 60 acres, but they have not flowered.
The farmers said the officials who persuaded them to sow the seeds of that particular company are no more available for consultation. Around 60 farmers of the hilly area have been affected by this problem.
Manohar Singh, a farmer, said some agriculture officials looking after the area held a meeting of villagers and advised them to buy the seeds of a Bhubaneswar-based company. The seeds were named Pimpudibasa, Ketakikua and Kalajira.
They promised the farmers that these varieties of paddy are high yielding ones and that after harvest the paddy will have good demand.
About 60 farmers had purchased the seeds from officials for Rs 1,500 each. “We had hopes of a good harvest. Four months have passed since the seeds were sown. But the paddy plants have not flowered,” he added.
“We had apprised the officials of the problem and sought their suggestions. But they are not available now,” said Manohar Singh.
Farmers Balakrushna Singh, Shantilata Patra, Gopinath Patra, Nanachand Singh, Gura Singh, Niranjan Singh, Shyamcharan Singh, Harendra Singh and Narendra Singh have demanded compensation. They alleged that the agriculture officials have been brokering for private companies.
Deputy director of agriculture, Damodar Sethi, however, denied the allegations.
Meanwhile, JMM activists visited the area and talked to the farmers. The farmers have warned of an agitation if they are not compensated.
PNN