A shortage of seeds manufactured by a few key players has left cotton growers in a fix as the phenomenon also indicates of the little choice the farmer has in the bargain. BT cotton seeds, of a particular variety which farmers eventually get entirely used to, are in acute short supply this season.
Even as the farmers from the region are feeling the pinch of this shortage, their counterparts from Andhra Pradesh is the worst hit. This has brought the farmers from AP to Nagpur as well as other parts of the region hunting for seeds. As dealers turn them away, touts are making a killing selling the seeds at a hefty premium. A bag officially priced from Rs 850 to Rs 930 is being sold at a rate ranging from Rs 1500 to 2700.
As some grudgingly buy others are left with no choice but to go for some other crop this season due to the prohibitively high rates demanded by touts. The next choice is maize which fetches less than half the price a quintal of cotton does. But at the same time many local farmers are also disappointed at the dealers' counters where they are told that a huge stock has already been purchased by the Andhra peasants.
Over the years cotton growers of Telangana region of Andhra have been used to a few varieties of seeds made by the Jalna-based manufacturer Mahyco. The company has been supplying separate varieties in Andhra and Maharashtra. The 7201 variety supplied in Andhra Pradesh is not available this year with the manufacturer citing a major production failure as a reason for the shortage.
Cotton growers in the Karimnagar and Adilabad districts of the state are now a hapless lot. As the sowing season is about to start, the Mahyco seed is not available. Fresh stock has not arrived as the manufacturer's representatives say that a major production loss has led to the crisis. "The 7201 and other varieties used in this state could not be produced in enough quantities due to unseasonal rains Andhra," said Mayhco's territory manager at Nagpur. "There is a shortage in Maharashtra too. The supply till date stands at 10 lakh packets which is half than the normal level."
"We have been using the same seed since years and are doubtful if any other variety of Mahyco will suit the soil conditions at Andhra. Back at home we have to pay as much as Rs 2000 for a bag with a printed price of Rs 930, so our group came to Nagpur, but the scene is no different here," said Raju Akula from Karimnagar district.
"Some agents here are even demanding Rs 2700," added Sampat Kumar who too is from Karimnagar.
Unable to afford these rates, many say that they would be forced to sow maize which fetches a much lower rate than cotton which otherwise is the mainstay crop for the region. Dealers say apart from Mahyco there is a shortage of some varieties made by companies like Ajeet Seeds and Hyderabad-based Nuziveedu Seeds Limited too.
The secretary of the Nagpur Agro Dealers Association, Sharad Chandak said dealers are turning away farmers from the Andhra so that those from the region get enough seeds. The Andhra rush has receded as compared to a few days before.
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