Tamil Nadu farmers flag poor quality of subsidised maize seeds

SALEM: Farmers in Attur, Pethanaickenpalayam, Vazhapadi and other parts of Salem, where maize is a major crop, have raised concerns over the poor yield of a maize variety supplied by the agriculture department under a government subsidy scheme, claiming that it has not performed well under the district’s soil and climatic conditions.

Salem District Farmers’ Welfare Association president V S Govindaraj said farmers who cultivated the subsidised variety last year obtained only around 15 bags per acre, against around 40 bags from a good-yielding variety. “Earlier, farmers could expect a profit of around Rs 2 lakh from a good crop. But with this variety, many were not even able to recover their cultivation expenses,” he said.

The seeds, priced at around Rs 420 per kg, are supplied at Rs 320. Farmers said they were reluctant to purchase the same variety again this year, citing the poor yield, and sought either an alternative variety suited to Salem or restoration of the earlier back-ended subsidy system, which allowed them to choose their preferred seeds.

“There are places where farmers are reportedly being told that if they do not purchase these seeds, they may not get other government subsidy benefits,” Govindaraj alleged. He also said the seeds have a limited shelf life and could expire if farmers do not purchase them.

Around 58 tonnes of subsidised maize seeds has been sanctioned for Salem district this season, including 18.5 tonnes for Pethanaickenpalayam block. The major areas targeted for distribution are Attur, Gangavalli, Pethanaickenpalayam, Kolathur and Thalaivasal.

Farmers said a variety that performs well in one region may not necessarily suit Salem’s soil and climatic conditions, and claimed those who bought other varieties from private suppliers obtained better yields. Under the earlier system, farmers could choose seeds from private suppliers and receive a back-ended subsidy after field verification and submission of purchase bills, a field officer said. The system was changed around 2022, after which specific seed varieties were tested and notified for distribution under the subsidy scheme.

The agriculture department, however, has defended the variety currently being supplied. Officials said Advanta 762 has been notified by the Government of India for cultivation in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The seeds are supplied through the National Seeds Corporation, in coordination with the agriculture department.

Officials said the variety is being supplied in 20 districts across Tamil Nadu. In Salem, 58 tonnes has been sanctioned for around 1,866 hectares. The seeds are tested by seed inspectors before distribution and are supplied only after crossing the prescribed 90% germination standard, officials said.

Salem Joint Director of Agriculture K Srinivasan said the seeds were sourced from Hyderabad and attributed the poor yield reported last year primarily to inadequate rainfall.

“These are certified F1 seeds and, under suitable conditions, the variety can generally yield around 3.5 tonnes per acre. The same variety is also being cultivated in districts such as Kallakurichi and Perambalur,” Srinivasan said. He added that the department had also sourced DHM 206, a relatively cheaper variety, due to farmers’ reluctance to purchase Advanta 762.