Bharatiya Janata Party state-unit president G Kishan Reddy on Sunday demanded that the State Government provide good quality seeds to farmers for the ensuing Khariff season.
In a letter to Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, the BJP leader said that the farmers have suffered huge losses in last Khariff season due to various factors. Therefore, the government should ensure that such problems do not recur this year.
Demanding that seeds should be made available to farmers by first week of May, Kishan Reddy said that the government should weed out millers and brokers in supply of seeds. Further, a scientific approach should be adopted while supplying seeds to ensure that the seeds that farmers procure fit their soils.
Kishan Reddy also suggested that the instead of making payment to companies for subsidised seeds, the government should deposit the subsidy amount in farmers’ accounts, so that they could procure best quality seeds for the season. He also alleged that Rs 160 crore spent last year towards subsidy on seeds was not beneficial for the farmers. Therefore, the government should take all precautions to avoid repetition of such experiences.
The BJP leader also said that there were apprehensions in the market that the companies might increase the prices of cotton seeds. Therefore, the government should intervene to ensure that the companies do not increase the seed prices which would further burden the farmers across the State. (INN)