Sheller owners decide to boycott PR-126 variety

The sale of spurious and hybrid seeds of the much propagated short-duration PR-126 paddy variety is once again in the spotlight.

The issue has angered sheller operators who have refused to stock the fresh produce. The decision was taken after the general body meeting of the rice millers.

President of the All-India Rice Millers Association Tarsem Lal said hybrid variety of paddy was sown last year, but the percentage of broken grain ranged from 30 to 45 per cent. The rice yield was only around 62 kg per 100 kg paddy after milling, whereas the millers were bound to deliver 67 per cent of the paddy stock with them. In case the yield is less, the millers are liable to cover the losses.

“A similar situation will be faced this season also. So, it has been unanimously decided to boycott the storage of PR-126 variety. We want the government to first conduct a lab test to check the authenticity of the seeds and assess the paddy-to-rice conversion ratio,” said Tarsem Lal.

He said, “PR-126 is an excellent variety, but the problem occurred after Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann started promoting it. Some companies sold spurious and hybrid seeds to farmers, claiming it to be PR-126 variety. This, however, resulted in paddy-to-rice conversion ratio of only 61-62 kg after milling 100 kg paddy.”

Bharat Bhushan Binta, president of the Punjab Rice Industry Association, said, “Millers have no issues with PR-126 variety. The problem is the criterion of rice production fixed by the Centre, which needs to be revised.”