Bhubaneswar: Thousands of farmers engaged in certified paddy seed production in Odisha are reportedly facing severe financial hardship due to non-payment of dues by the Odisha State Seeds Corporation (OSSC) for more than six months.
The issue has been raised by OSSC Director Ashok Kumar Baral, who has written to Chairman Sachin Ramchandra Yadhav seeking immediate intervention to ensure the pending payments are released to affected farmers.
In his letter, Baral said the prolonged delay in payments has placed seed growers under immense financial pressure at a crucial time when the kharif cultivation season is underway. He noted that certified seed production has been a cornerstone of Odisha’s agricultural sector for nearly four decades, with progressive farmers working closely with OSSC to produce quality paddy seeds.
However, Baral alleged that the sector has witnessed a steady decline in recent years due to an alleged nexus between certain traders and officials, which has adversely impacted the sale of certified seeds. According to him, annual sales of certified paddy seeds have dropped from nearly five lakh quintals to around 1.5 lakh quintals, while the state’s seed replacement rate has also declined.
He called for a comprehensive review into the factors responsible for the falling demand for certified seeds and the challenges facing the sector.
Baral further stated that the Agriculture Department had directed OSSC to procure 1.65 lakh quintals of certified paddy seeds for the current kharif season following weak sales in the previous year. However, the corporation reportedly procured nearly 1.73 lakh quintals, around four per cent above the target, though still within the permissible five per cent buffer allowed under government guidelines.
According to Baral, officials are now citing excess procurement as the reason for withholding payments to farmers. Many growers who supplied seeds during January and February, after harvesting their crops in November and December, are yet to receive their dues. Some farmers, he claimed, have not received any payment at all.
He emphasized that farmers rely heavily on income from paddy sales to fund agricultural operations, children’s education, marriages and other household expenses. While payments for paddy sold through government procurement centres are typically made within a week, certified seed growers have been waiting for nearly seven months.
Warning of the potential impact on agricultural activity, Baral said continued delays could discourage farmers from participating in certified seed production and adversely affect kharif cultivation across the state.
