Lack of quality seeds likely to affect groundnut crop coverage in Ranipet

Lack of groundnut seeds is likely to affect crop coverage in Ranipet district despite the abundant availability of water, sources said.

Ranipet farmers usually move over to rain-fed groundnut cultivation when they are assured of water availability. “The current rain has ensured abundant water for cultivation all of which has been hamstrung by the lack of enough groundnut seeds,” said Tamilaga Vivasayigal Sangam Ranipet district president CS Mani.

What irks ryots is that officials have been unable to procure and provide the high yielding Kadri groundnut variety from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. Contrary to local varieties ensuring only 40 pods per plant when managed very well, normal yield would only be around 20 pods on average. The Kadri variety ensures up to 120 pods per plant officials said.

According to Agriculture Department officials, the increased acreage under rain-fed groundnut cultivation was due to the main paddy cultivation blocks also switching over increasingly to groundnut. Up to 20,000 acres in the district have come under it as against the normal 12,500 acres.

The Sangam’s youth wing state president R Subash told DT Next that “if the government was able to provide the Kadri variety seeds to farmers, the increased yields would ensure additional income which in turn would raise their living standards.”

When asked department officials said they had informed top brass in Chennai about the shortfall in groundnut seeds and hence “had on hand 20 tonnes of groundnut seeds ready for distribution.” On why the department did not anticipate demand, officials said, “this is mostly a paddy district, but the availability of water due to rain resulted in farmers opting for rain-fed groundnut which caught us unawares and hence the shortfall.”

On whether the department would procure the Kadri variety from AP, officials said, “We have some inter-state procurement issues which makes it unlikely that this variety will be procured. Farmers can purchase the variety themselves if they so want. We have other variety groundnut seeds ready for distribution.”

Asked about the yield of the varieties with the department, officials said, “pods per plant will be around 20-25.” Thus, Ranipet farmers have to make do with low yielding groundnut seed varieties.