Farmers cheated over paddy seeds

Several hundred farmers of Kalapara and Rangabali upazilas in Patuakhali and Amtali and Taltali upazilas in Barguna have been allegedly cheated by seed dealers.

They planted saplings produced from seeds sold by some local dealers but found that they bloomed earlier than normal, as a result, they are facing uncertainty over Aman production, farmers said.

Many farmers said they produced paddy saplings bought from the local markets to plant on their lands, but some seed sellers gave them Aus seeds instead of Aman and they planted those in their fields. They found to their frustration that the young plants bloomed prematurely, the farmers said.

Md Nazrul Islam of Chatianpara village under Kalapara upazila said he cultivated around five acres of land with those seedlings by spending over Tk 1 lakh, but they bloomed prematurely.

Md Khokon of the village said he also cultivated over five acres of land after producing saplings with those seeds and also faced the same situation.

Like Nazrul and Khokon, Saidul Farazee of Monipara, Echa Mia, Basir Farazee, Tuhin Talukder, Mizanur, Nizam Bahauddin and Taiyub Ali of Borobaishdia union under Rangabali upazila also had the same problem.

These farmers said they bought seeds that were kept in BADC's sacks where the name of the variety of the seed and the expiry date were overwritten.

We bought Aman seeds as per instructions from the seed traders, farmers said.

“I bought these seeds from Abu Mia, a listed seed dealer of Barguna's Taltali upazila, said a farmer.

Rangabali Upazila Sub-Assistant Agriculture Officer Md Zafor said the farmers were cheated as they bought seeds from the local market and his office was not responsible for that.

Kalapara Upazila Agriculture Extension Officer Abdul Mannan said farmers were cheated by local seed sellers as the variety that they planted was not Aman.Farmers can get a maximum of 25 percent yield from the seeds they planted, he added.

Acting Taltali Upazila Agriculture Extension Officer Badrul Alam said the license of Abu Mia, a listed BADC seed dealer, has been cancelled and more steps are being taken against him, He added that they are preparing a list of victimised farmers to provide help to them.