Fake seeds scam caught in Nanded, Maharashtra
A fake seeds scam has emerged at Nanded in Maharashtra where big traders have purchased seeds from Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and other states and have sold to the local farmers. Despite several complaints, these unlawful activities were undergoing right in the front of agricultural officials. The failure to halt these activities has infuriated the local farmers in the district. Notably, Soyabean and cotton farmers are hitting this year. Taking this advantage, the big traders have taken this unlawful step.
Interestingly, the local farmers have alleged that the agricultural authorities have turned blind eye to this scam. In its aftermath, they filed several complaints but no action has been taken by the department, therefore, giving a substantial blow to the wrath of farmers in the district.
Soybean have been sown more than four and a half lakh hectares of area in the district, and cotton has also been cultivated on a large scale, this year. Due to the increased demand, farmers confined to traders and purchased seeds worth crores of rupees. Despite the agricultural university's advice to use domestic seeds, farmers, desperate for a 'better variety', bought bogus seeds from the market.
Initially, it was anticipated that the rains did not germinate, but even after the rains were abundant, the seeds did not germinate. Even if germination take place in some farmers' fields, it was scanty having inferior quality. Consequently, an extensive double sowing has been carried out by the farmers.
Thousands of online and written complaints have been filed with the taluka and district agriculture offices. However, the officials are giving a standard response that they are collecting data and the investigation is underway. The district agriculture officer has not yet released a consolidated report.
What are the farmers’ allegations?
According to the farmers' allegations, the racket of bogus cotton and soybean seeds is being run from Nanded itself. These false sees were purchased from Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat. Moreover, it is also suspected that financial dealings of outside brokers, local traders and agricultural officials are behind this scam.
Despite complaining directly to the Chief Minister's Office about the non-germination of seeds purchased from a well-known shop of Naveen Mondhya, no action has been taken against the shop. This has caused discontentment among the farmers.
Demands raised by farmers
Eventually, the farmers have threatened to go on hunger strike before District Collector’s office. Apart from this, they have demanded taking strict action against the culprits including the cancellation of licenses of the guilty shops, compensating the victims and ublishing action report immediately.