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PAU seeds selling in open market
From Surbhi Bhalla

LUDHIANA, Sept 19 — A number of seed varieties developed by scientists of Punjab Agricultural University here, are allegedly finding clandestine way into open market. And not surprisingly, the same are not made available to farmers in the university.

Several irregularities in the disposal and sale of seeds produced by the scientists of the university have reportedly come to light. Several farmers have brought the issue to the notice of the university authorities. They alleged while the University was reportedly short of the popular seeds of some varieties of crops these were available in plenty at the private shops some of which are located close to the university.

For instance, during the kisan mela which was held at the main varsity campus in March this year some farmers, including members of Kisan Club, complained to the authorities of the university that the seeds of varieties of rice like PR-115, PR-116, which had been released by the university for the first time, were not available in the stocks of the university .

They also alleged in their complaint letter that the seeds of these varieties were available in abundance at the private shops. While the university had fixed the rate of the seeds of the two varieties at Rs 40 per kg, the shops were selling the seeds at Rs 50 per kg. The farmers wondered how seeds of the latest varieties had found their way to the private business establishments .

It is learnt that this came up for discussion at a meeting of the mela review committee which was held, a few days after the mela in March. The Director, Extension Education, who was chairing the meeting, reportedly expressed his inability to do anything about the alleged wrong practice.

It is anybody’s guess how these seeds find their way to private shops as soon as the university releases them for large-scale cultivation. It is also learnt that some seeds of popular varieties of different crops are sown by certain university employees in their own farms, who supply these to the shop owners for sale. It has also come to light that some university officials show “false” records of scarcity of seeds to help the business of the shop owners.

Many farmers in the past also had urged the university authorities to save them from being fleeced. In addition, it has also come to light that huge stocks of seeds produced by PAU often remain unsold. As a result, the university, which is already facing financial problems, suffers a heavy loss.

Incidentally, the Public Accounts Committee in its 114th report had significantly mentioned that several quintals of costly seeds produced at the farms of the university were sold in the market as grain thus causing more financial to the university.

The committee also pointed out the mandatory sanction of the Vice-Chancellor to sell the seeds as grain was never shown to the Audit Department of the state government.

It has also been learnt that the university has in its stock, huge quantities of wheat seed, namely PBW-343, but the authorities concerned feel it may not be possible to sell off the entire stocks of the seeds to the farmers at the kisan mela scheduled for September 21.

A meeting of the university officials chaired by Dr M.S. Bajwa, Director, Research, it was felt this year the production of wheat seed was on the higher side and demand was expected on the lower side. A number of seed producing agencies have produced foundation seed of this variety and almost all farmers of the state have their own saved stock of seeds.

It is apprehended that the university may not be in a position to sell all of the wheat seed produced. It was also decided at the meeting that in case the seeds were not sold the sub-committee would take a decision to “downgrade the seed so as to sell it to the farmers”.

Incidentally the university has its seed farms throughout the state at Ludhiana, Ropar, Kapurthala, Gurdaspur, Naraingarh, Jalandhar, Patiala and Bhatinda and Sangrur.