Odisha farmers staring at uncertainty over lack of seeds

Kendrapara: Farmers in Odisha who are yet to get back on their feet after being knocked down by distress sale and pest attack, are staring at uncertainty again.

In Kendrapara's Patamundai area, farmers are facing a hard time amid lack of supply of seeds from the government.

"Our lands are ploughed but there are no seeds to sow. We have no idea how to cultivate this year," Bishnu Charan Patra, a farmer from Pattamundai said.

Irregular Monsoon and lack of seeds have posed serious threats for farmers who are solely dependent on farming to earn their livelihood.

Farmers have alleged that the co-operative department has not given them seeds till now.

Similar reports have been received from Balasore district, where farmers have alleged that the Agriculture Department's assurance to provide seeds has only turned out to be a blatant lie.

"We have not received seeds from the government this year. Only a few farmers with fistful of seeds are sowing," said Bhimsen Nayak, a farmer from Balasore said.

However, Odisha Agriculture Minister Pradeep Maharathi has assured that 50,000 quintal seeds have been received from Chhattisgarh and will be disbursed to the farmers soon.

"There is indeed a scarcity of seeds. We had ordered 50,000 quintal seeds from National Seeds Corporation which we have received. I assure that Odisha government will not fail in providing seeds to the farmers," Maharathi said.