Farmers protest as paddy fails to sprout

Around 150 farmers from Vemsoor mandal, who became victims of the spurious hybrid variety NTU1224 paddy seed, are up in arms demanding compensation from Nagarjuna Seed Company for the huge losses they have suffered as there was no yield even after 140 days of sowing.

NTU-1224 was sown by the farmers in 400 acres Vemsoor mandal. The variety is raised in Adasarlapadu, Lingapalem, Marlapadu, Vemsoor, Kandukuru, Ramannapalem and Vemsoor mandals, where there are only two traders.

The farmers took the land on lease and raised the seed variety.

Mandapati Nagireddy, a farmer from Adasarlapadu, said “The paddy plants grew smoothly and became tall but there was no yield.” T Prasad, a farmer from Lingapalem, said “We took the land on lease at `15,000 per acre and we spent another `10,000 for seeds and ploughing and sowing. We lost all the money and this has forced us to to raise our voice”.

The agitated farmers raided the shops that sold NTU 1224 variety and grilled the traders. They staged a dharna in front of the shop in Kandukuru. However, the traders washed their hands off by saying that they have informed the seed failure to the company officials.

It is suspected that Nagarjuna Seed Company did not test the seed, which is mandated, before dispatching them to their dealers. This has not been complied with as far as the NTU -1224 seed variety of 9003 batch goes.

Vemsoor mandal agricultural extension officer Ramamohan said that he had received a complaint about the seed failure and had sent a report to the government.