Seed shortage hits kuruvai cultivation

Farmers who have borewell facility have started early Kuruvai paddy cultivation tapping on ground water. Those farmers who are ready to cultivate the paddy now are, however, not only complaining over the non-availability of seeds in government depots, but also cite the low quantity of the supply of the grain wherever it is made available. A farmer is reportedly being given only around 20 kg of paddy now. “Officials say the 20 kg is being given at subsidised rate under the ‘seed village’ scheme. However, the quantity is very low and we could only sow on about half-an-acre,” Kakakrai Sukumar, a farmer from Thiruthraipoondi, said. He further said farmers need at least 30-40kg per acre to transplant the Kuruvai paddy alone. Meanwhile, farmers claimed that the government does not promote the ASD 16 and ADT 36 varieties which has high yield. However, official sources said that those varieties introduced only within a span of the last 10 years were eligible for subsidy.