Farmers told to get billing receipts as private vendors sell spurious seeds

Amritsar, May 3

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In order to check sale of spurious and substandard quality seeds for the next season, the district administration has asked farmers to not forget to collect billing receipts from the shopkeepers.

Sale of spurious seeds

All government agencies selling seeds provide a receipt to farmers on purchase of seeds from them. However, most of the private seed sellers do not provide any receipt. In the absence of a receipt, the administration fails to take any action against the seed seller if the seeds fail to germinate or any other problem arises, as farmers do not have any evidence about the purchase of seeds. — Harpreet Singh Sudan, Deputy Commissioner

In a letter written to the Agriculture Department, Deputy Commissioner Harpreet Singh Sudan has mentioned the reports received from farmers’ unions in this regard. As per the farmers’ complaints, they had suffered losses during the previous season due to the sale of cotton and basmati seeds.

The Deputy Commissioner said all government agencies selling seeds provide a receipt to the farmers on purchase of seeds from them. However, the private seed sellers often do not provide any receipt. In the absence of a receipt, the administration fails to take any action against the seed seller if the seeds fail to germinate or any other problem arises, as the farmers do not have any evidence about the purchase of the seeds.

The Deputy Commissioner has also advised the farmers to report any shopkeeper who does not provide them the receipt or is reluctant to do so. He has also asked the field officials of the department to keep a check on the shops selling seeds and take action if they find any shopkeeper not issuing receipts.