Shops of seed dealers checked
Kapurthala, May 14
Following directives from the Deputy Commissioner, Kapurthala, Amit Kumar Panchal, officials of the Agriculture Department on Tuesday conducted a checking at the shops of seed dealers in the district, besides directing them to provide PAU recommended or certified seeds to farmers at prescribed price. The officials also instructed the dealers not to sale any unauthorised and uncertified seeds.
Chief Agriculture Officer Balbir Chand said that dealers should provide varieties to farmers as recommended and certified by the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. He said a meeting with dealers and department officials was also held in which it was stated that the sale of illegal seeds will not be allowed, and if any such case comes to notice, action will be taken under the Seeds Act. He said that dealers were also asked to maintain proper record of stocks as the checking would continue in time to come.
Dr Balbir Chand maintained that if there was any case of charging overprice, necessary action would be initiated. Farmers were also told that in case of any malpractice, they should immediately report to their nearest agriculture office so that action could be initiated accordingly, he added.
The Chief Agriculture Officer also informed the farmers that the PUSA-44 variety of paddy was banned and not certified by the university, so this could not be sown. In view of depleting water table, the farmers should only proceed with the PAU recommended and certified varieties of paddy, he said.
