Bhupinder Singh Hooda demands aid for sunflower farmers

Ambala, April 12

Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda demanded on Tuesday that the state government should compensate sunflowers farmers who are expecting lower yields due to the poor quality of seeds available for sowing.

“Due to the lower availability of seeds, the private traders had sold seeds at exorbitant rates that too of poor quality. The government had failed to ensure good quality seeds in the market and now the results will be visible with lower yield”, Hooda said and added that it was the responsibility of the state government to provide quality seeds to the farmers on time.

The former CM said, “It is also the job of the government to stop the sale and black marketing of fake seeds, but the government did not do so. The brunt of this ultimately fell on the farmers.” Hooda also reiterated the demand for Rs 500 bonus per quintal on the minimum support price to wheat farmers.

“Wheat farmers have to face the double whammy of unseasonal rains, long dry spell and inflation. Due to this, the production of wheat per acre has decreased by 5 to 10 quintals. The government should compensate the farmers for their losses,” he said.

The former Chief Minister said for last 12 days, farmers have been reaching the market with their crops but till now neither the lifting has started from the mandis nor payment is being made.

He said the government should urgently intervene and expedite both these processes.