Seeds seized from Ludhiana store fail germination tests

LUDHIANA: The paddy seeds seized from Brar seed store, located on Ferozepur Road opposite the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), have failed the germination test.

Chief agriculture officer Narinder Singh Benipal said, “The store was selling the seeds at inflated rates by branding them as PR 128 and PR 129 (high yielding varieties). The seed samples were sent for PAU laboratory for gene purity tests. It was found that were spurious seeds.”

Director (agriculture) Dr Sutantar

Kumar Airi said that the matter was being probed and all aspects were being looked into.

Amid the row over the spurious seed varieties, PAU has asked farmers to get their seeds tested from the university.

Vice-chancellor Baldev Singh Dhillon said that farmers who wish to get to seeds tested for authenticity and quality could visit the university. “However, it would be difficult for us assess the seedlings (peeniri),” he said.

The development comes a day after various farmers’ organisations submitted memorandums demanding compensation for all farmers who had been duped.