Punjab : Maize seeds get costly, scarce in market; Aujla blames Centre, AAP
Maize seed prices have surged from ₹2,750 to ₹3,500 per bag due to scarcity, forcing farmers to buy in black. Each acre requires 9 kg of seeds, increasing cultivation costs. Farmers also struggle to find DAP fertilizer. MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla urged the Centre and Punjab government to act, warning of farmer losses and inflation rise.
Lok Sabha member Gurjeet Singh Aujla on Thursday alleged that farmers were facing a double whammy under the rule of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and BJP. “Farmers are already fighting for MSP at Shambhu border and now they are also being forced to buy seeds in black. First, the crop will become expensive due to this and then it will be sold cheap,” he said.
Aujla said that he has received calls from many farmers and is constantly receiving complaints that maize seeds are being sold in black.
Maize sowing starts from January 20 and continues till March. Farmers usually get a good price as summer maize is purchased by dairy farms and is also used in ethanol plants.
Aujla said that seeing the seriousness of the issue, both the Central and state governments should take immediate action because it will not only cause losses to the farmers but also increase inflation.
With farmers having to buy maize seeds at an exorbitant price due to their alleged scarcity in the market, many of them are facing it difficult to procure the seeds.
The maize seeds which were available for Rs 2,750 per bag (4.5 kg) are now being sold for Rs 3,500 per bag.
An acre of maize sowing requires at least 9 kg of seeds. The farmers stated that the high cost of the seed was a problem for many. “The prices were already too high but sale in black of seeds has further pushed up the cost,” said Mandeep Singh of Tarn Taran.
The farmers also require two bags of DAP per acre which is also a scarce commodity. “DAP has been in short supply during the wheat sowing season. Now again, when it is required for sowing of maize, it has gone missing from the markets,” said another farmer, Ladda Singh.
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Source : The Tribune
