Mohali DC forms teams to check quality of Kharif crop seeds
27 samples of various seeds have been sent to laboratories for testing
With complaints of substandard Kharif crop seeds pouring in, Mohali deputy commissioner Girish Dayalan has set up teams to check the quality of seeds being supplied in the district.
“Teams comprising block agriculture officers and other employees have been constituted to ensure availability of top quality seeds for basmati, maize, dal and paddy in the forthcoming kharif season,” Dayalan said.
The teams started conducting checks on various seed dealers on May 9 and collected 27 samples of various seeds for checking their quality, which have been sent to laboratories.
Besides, farmers have been allowed to keep seeds of PR variety, and 29 samples of such seeds have been sent for testing by the department, at its own cost. Apart from this, stock registers, sale bills and bills received are also being checked.
PR-128 and PR-129 breeds of paddy seeds have been released by PAU, Ludhiana, this year.
These seeds are not available privately, and farmers are cultivating them on experimental basis by purchasing them from the Krishi Vigyan Kendar in Fatehgarh Sahib, Ropar, Narayangarh and PAU.
The district has 28,000 hectares of area under paddy and 1,200 hectares under basmati, thus requiring 6,000 quintal seeds.