Short-duration paddy variety PR-126 in high demand, being sold at a premium
LUDHIANA : As the state government announced financial assistance of Rs 1,500 per acre to each of the farmers sowing paddy through the direct seeding of rice (DSR) technique, the PR-126 seed, the most famous short-duration variety of paddy crop developed by the Punjab Agriculture University (PAU), has gone off the shelves.
The university had developed 2,600 quintals of seeds and put them on sale on March 20. But in nearly over a month, the entire stock was emptied.
A major share of the seed was purchased by private seed dealers at Rs 65 per kg. The huge demand and resultant scarcity have led to the black-marketing of seeds.
While in Ludhiana the seed is being sold at Rs 80 to 100 per kg, in Moga, Barnala, Nawanshahr and Jalandhar, the seed is being sold at Rs 140 per kg, complain farmers visiting the university.
PR 126 takes 123 days to mature if the crops are grown through the DSR technique. Pusa 44, on the other hand, matures about 160 days after seeding. There are also savings on pesticides and labour.
Among paddy’s short-duration varieties, PR 126 needs 15-25 per cent less irrigation than the long-duration variety, Pusa 44.
Gurpreet Singh Sidhwa, press secretary, Bhartiya Kisan Union, Dakonda, said that a delegation of the farmer union had met the chief agricultural officer, Ludhiana, Narinder Singh Benipal, and complained about the blackmarketing of PR-126.
“A handful of seed dealers are finding opportunity from adversity. The government is promoting the DSR technique to save water and electricity. Further, the short-duration variety is also encouraging farmers towards diversification. But unfortunately, the move to incentivise farmers opting for DSR has led to hoarding of seed,” he said.
Baldev Singh, a resident of Panjghrian village, Nakoder, said the seed was being sold for Rs 120 to 140 in the markets of Moga while in Ludhiana it was available for Rs 80 to 100. “I thought that the seed would be available at the outlet of the university. On reaching here I was told that the seed had run out of stock long ago,” he said.
Seed dealers have highlighted the availability of the seed at their shops located outside the PAU. Benipal said searches were carried out at shops following complaints. Seed dealers have been instructed not to sell the seeds beyond Rs 80 per kg.
Dr GS Mangat, additional director of research, said if the seed of PR 126 is not available, the farmers from Moga, Ferozepur and surrounding districts should opt for a new PR 131 variety and farmers from Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur and Amritsar should opt for PR 130 variety.
Both verities take 130 to 135 days to mature on being transplanted. He said PR121 – which takes 140 days to mature, is also running out of stock.