AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

SEED SUPPLY

If may be noted that healthy and vigorous seed contribute towards a better yield. Farmers, therefore, always follow their traditional method to secure good seeds by preserving grains of selected ear-heads from the vigorous plaids at the time of harvesting. Sometimes farmers bring good variety of seeds from other places known for quality seeds. Under normal conditions such seeds do augment agricultural output. However, there is another way of increasing food production by making use of improved varieties or strains of crops, The use of improved seeds has proved more effective in increasing the agricultural produce. The Agriculture Department has on the basis of continuous and strenuous research work conducted at the four research stations in the district, evolved the following improved strains of crops and recommended them for the district.

Alter studying its beneficial character under close observation and alter satisfying its performance, the improved strains of crops are released for their further multiplication. The multiplication of the improved seeds is done at the taluka seed farms. One such farm has been established in the jurisdiction of every panchayat samiti in the district. The. intention of establishing these taluka seed farms is to multiply the pure seeds of those crops which are grown in that particular area of the panchayat samiti and thus to cater to the needs of the local cultivators.

The seeds produced on the taluka seed farms after processing i.e., after grading, treating them with mercurial compound and satisfying about their germination capacity, are issued to cultivators in a group of 4 to 5 villages which are called 'seed villages'. It is generally seen that cent per cent area under the particular crop in the 'seed village' is covered by the improved seeds supplied from the taluka seed farms. The cultivators who are supplied with the seeds are named as 'A' class cultivators. The produce of the 'A' class cultivators for which maximum care is taken from rouging of crop to its threshing and bagging, etc., is procured by the Agriculture Department or by the Zilla Parishad through co-operative marketing society and is further distributed to other cultivators who are named as TV class registered seed growers. The produce of 'B class growers is procured and further distributed to 'C class cultivators. In this way, it is contemplated to cover cent per cent area of every panchayat samiti within a period of five years.

The seeds of hybrid jowar are produced on the cultivator's fields under the close supervision of the officers of the National Seed Corporation. The jowar seeds are procured by the State Government through the Co-operative Marketing Federation and are distributed to the cultivators through the respective village cooperative societies under the direction of the Zilla Parishad. The foundation seeds i.e., the produce of the taluka seed farms are issued to cultivators on cash payment only. The seeds which are procured by the Zilla Parishad and which are distributed through the cooperative societies are supplied either on cash or on tagai and bank loans.

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