After struggling to meet demand for 2 yrs, PAU produces surplus seeds

Tribune News Service

Mohit Khanna

Patiala, March 22

After struggling to meet the growing demand of seeds by farmers for nearly two years, the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has finally managed to replenish its seed stocks. After clocking a seed sale of over Rs 1 crore during the two-day long kisan mela in Ludhiana recently, the paddy seeds were up for grabs at Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) in Rauni during the day long kisan mela.

Produced on 1,200 acre land in faridkot

• The 30-year lease of the land belonging to erstwhile Maharaja Harinder Singh Brar, where PAU produced seeds, ended nearly three years ago. Ever since, the university had been struggling to refurbish its seed stock
• Last year, the PAU VC sent an expression of interest to the legal custodian and the state government for allowing the university to cultivate crops on 1,200 acres of farmland falling in Faridkot. The request was granted and the cultivation began
• PAU came under immense criticism after the stock of much sought-after short-duration paddy variety seed PR 126 and PR 13 ran dry while private players black-marketed the seeds
• Similarly, acute shortage of newly introduced heat-tolerant wheat variety seed PBW 826 also triggered black-marketing by private players

Beware of frauds

You can purchase seed whenever you wish to. If not now, then you can purchase it after harvesting wheat crop. We have enough stock of seed, and I would urge farmers not to fall in the trap of those growing spurious seeds. — Satbir Singh Gosal, PAU VC

This has been possible after PAU regained the cultivation rights on 1,200 acres of farmland falling in Faridkot. The premier agri varsity of the region came under immense criticism after the stock of much sought-after short-duration paddy variety seed PR 126 and PR 13 ran dry while private players black-marketed the seeds.

Similarly, acute shortage of newly introduced heat-tolerant wheat variety seed PBW 826 also triggered black-marketing by private players. Due to the sale of spurious seed, the farmers also suffered huge losses.

While addressing the gathering of farmers at Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) in Rauni during the kisan mela, PAU Vice Chancellor Dr Satbir Singh Gosal said that the university has enough stock of paddy and wheat seeds and there is no need for any panic purchase.

“You can purchase the seed whenever you wish to. If not now, then you can purchase it after harvesting the wheat crop. We have enough stock of seed, and I would urge farmers not to fall in the trap of those growing spurious seeds,” said Gosal while addressing the farmers.

The 30-year lease of the land, belonging to erstwhile Maharaja Harinder Singh Brar, ended nearly three years ago. Ever since, the university had been struggling to refurbish its seed stock. Last year, the PAU VC sent an expression of interest to the legal custodian and the state government for allowing the university to cultivate crops on 1,200 acres of farmland falling in Faridkot. The request was granted and the cultivation began.

“We not only have an adequate amount of wheat and paddy stocks, but we have enough stock of pulses seeds as well,” said Gosal at the kisan mela.

Besides, Faridkot PAU has seed centres in Ladhowal (1,200 acres), Naraingarh in Khanna (385 acres) and 495 acres of land in Nabha.

“We have to look at the situation from a broader perspective and how important the seed production was for the state. Firstly, PAU ensures the delivery of high-quality seeds to the farmers so that they do not fall into the trap of some murky private players and end up buying spurious seeds and suffering losses. Further, seed sale was the main source of revenue for the university. For the past few years, we were not only suffering in terms of revenue, but we failed to deliver high-quality seed to the farmers,” said Dr Gosal.

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