This year there will be 60 percent less rainfall in the country due to the effect of El Nino. Farmers may have to bear the brunt of this. Crops may be adversely affected. But if natural conditions like El Nino arrive and farmers’ crops get ruined as soon as sowing is done, then who will be blamed for it? In about 18 districts of Marathwada and Vidarbha in Maharashtra, soybean seeds did not germinate even after 20 to 25 days of sowing. These situations arose due to fake seeds.
So far, more than five thousand farmers have lodged complaints with the police, agriculture department and administration. The government has ordered an investigation and started action against many seed companies. The government has also dissolved the five-member tehsil level grievance redressal committee. However, Maharashtra is not the only state to be troubled by fake seed gangs. Cases of sale of fake and poor quality seeds have been reported in many states including Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and Telangana.
Cases of fake seeds also came from UP, MP, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Telangana.
A few weeks ago, action was taken against many people in many districts of Uttar Pradesh including Jhansi and Etawah for selling fake groundnut seeds. At present, the Uttar Pradesh government has launched the Sathi portal to eliminate the syndicate of fake seeds. In this app, the process from seed production to distribution will be tracked. Due to this, the scope for supplying fake seeds to the farmers will be reduced.
The issue of fake and substandard seeds often causes ruin for farmers in Madhya Pradesh. A few days ago, warehouses involved in illegal re-packing and sale of non-standard seeds were raided by the administration and agriculture department in areas like Sagar and Jabalpur. Apart from this, even within Rajasthan, ACB had seized substandard groundnut seeds worth Rs 15 crore in the month of June. At the same time, a large quantity of fake cotton seeds were caught in Telangana also.
How does the business of fake seeds work?
- Imitation of packing of famous companies- Fraudsters prepare packing and logo like big seed companies. Farmers get confused by this.
- Sale of uncertified seeds – Some traders sell seeds without any government certification as hybrid or high yielding.
- Re-packing of old or expired seeds – Some fraudsters put the remaining or expired seeds in new packets and launch them in the market again.
- Adulteration- The weight of genuine seeds is increased by mixing cheap or low quality seeds. Farmers get confused by this.
- Fake licenses and illegal sellers- In many places, unlicensed shopkeepers or temporary sellers go from village to village and sell seeds.
How much and how do farmers suffer losses?
Fake seeds not only cause loss of money, but also affect the entire farming. In many situations the seeds do not germinate. Plants emerge weak. There is a huge decline in production. The farmer has to sow again. Meanwhile, their debt increases, causing huge financial crisis for the farmers. Hybrid seeds of paddy, soybean, cotton, millet, groundnut and vegetables are most likely to be fake.
How is monitoring and action taken against those selling fake seeds?
Many institutions monitor the quality of seeds in the country. Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, State Agriculture Department, State Seed Certification Agencies, Seed Testing Laboratories, Seed Inspectors etc. test the seeds from time to time by taking samples from the market.
For the regulation of these seeds, action is taken against the sellers of seeds and fake seeds under the Seeds Act 1966, Seeds Rules 1968, Seeds Act 1983 and Essential Commodity Act. If during investigation a trader is found to be misbranding, fake labeling or cheating on quality, his license may be cancelled. He may also have to go to jail. Heavy fine can also be imposed on him.
What precautions should farmers take while purchasing seeds?
If you want to avoid gangs selling fake seeds, farmers should buy seeds only from licensed sellers. Always take a fixed bill. Look at the batch number and lot number on the packet. Be sure to check the certification tag. Also check germination percentage, expiry or packing date. Take a photo of the packet before opening it. Apart from this, keep the packet and bill safely, so that it can be used in case of complaint.
If farmers feel that the seeds provided to them are fake, then immediately inform the District Agriculture Officer. File a complaint with the concerned agriculture department. Request a farm inspection. If they are still not heard, then recourse can be taken to the Consumer Commission or the court.
What does the Agriculture Department do when it receives a complaint?
On receiving complaints of fake seeds, the Agriculture Department seizes seed samples. Gets the quality tests of seeds done in the lab. If found guilty, the businessman’s license is suspended. Then, through the Agriculture Department, state governments also provide assistance to farmers under different schemes for compensation and alternative sowing.
Trade of fake seeds is a huge hit to the agricultural economy.
The trade of fake seeds only causes great harm to the food security and agricultural economy of the country. One bad seed can spoil the entire season’s hard work, costs and hopes of the farmers. It can also create a serious crisis for the livelihood of farmers. This is the reason why many state governments run awareness campaigns from time to time to identify fake seeds.
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