Thoothukudi farmers seek quality hybrid seeds at subsidised rates ahead of rabi season
Farmers in the Thoothukudi district are requesting that the government provide higher-quality hybrid seeds at subsidized rates. They argue that private seeds offer significantly better yields, despite the higher cost, and that government distribution is often delayed.
Why it matters
It underscores the economic challenges faced by small-scale farmers and the need for efficient agricultural support systems to ensure food security.
Farmers from Thoothukudi district have urged the government to sell better quality hybrid seeds at subsidised rates to help them achieve higher yields during the upcoming rabi season.
The district has around 1.50 lakh hectares of rainfed agricultural lands, where farmers usually cultivate maize, chillies, coriander, black gram and other pulses during the rabi season. Sowing generally begins in the fourth week of September, depending on the onset of the northeast monsoon.
Although the government supplies subsidised seeds through agricultural extension centres, many farmers continue to purchase seeds from private companies, citing concerns over the quality of government supplied seeds and their delayed availability.
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