SWABI: Local farmers have shown concerns over shortage of wheat seed in the district headquarters during cultivation season.

The growers at district agriculture department told Dawn on Thursday that they did not know how to handle the situation. They said that they were frustrated as they badly needed seed for cultivation. They said that they running from pillar to post to get seed of their choice as it was the season of cultivation.

Officials at agriculture office said that only one variety of seed, Pirsabak-19, was available with them. However, the farmers said that the new varieties of seed developed by agriculture department should be provided to them.

“According to our experience of wheat cultivation the available variety of seed is no longer productive. Why should we cultivate it,” questioned Mohammad Abbas, a farmer of Maneri Bala village.

The growers said that another variety, Pirsabak-20, wan the second option but that was not available with agriculture department. There was no assurance that it would be available soon, they added.

They said that they needed Gulzar, another variety of seed. However, officials said that they could not assure the farmers that it would reach the district soon to be distributed among them.

The farmers said that agriculture officers themselves educated them that Gulzar was the best variety. They said that they were also told by officials to give up the old practice of sowing the same seed because it was harming the production and the crop was attacked by dangerous diseases at critical time.

“I don’t know how I can get the Gulzar variety. Where should I go? It really disturbs me and the apathy of the agriculture officials has shaken my belief and confidence,” said Zar Mohammad, another farmer.

The farmers also complained that the price of the seed was high. They said that common wheat in the market was available at 5,800 per 50 kilogram-sack but the same variety of seed was sold by agriculture department at Rs7,500.

They said that instead of helping farmers, agriculture department officials victimised them by using different strategies and the real help did not come into seen due to unknown reasons.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2023