Thanjavur, Aug 20: As farmers across Thanjavur prepare for the Samba paddy season, authorities have tightened checks on private seed dealers to ensure that farmers have access to suitable and quality planting material.
Pic Credit: Pexel
Private seed sellers have been instructed to sell only paddy varieties appropriate for Samba cultivation and to strictly follow seed certification and labelling rules. The move is aimed at helping farmers avoid unsuitable seeds and ensuring better crop establishment during the season.
Seed packets must carry the required certification and information tags, including details such as the crop, variety, batch number, expiry date and seasonal suitability. Dealers have also been asked to maintain proper stock registers and germination reports so that every seed lot can be traced and inspected.
Around 2,750 tonnes of long- and medium-duration paddy seeds have been stocked at private outlets across the district for the season. Long-duration varieties taking around 150 to 160 days to mature are considered suitable for the current Samba crop.
Seed inspectors in Thanjavur, Kumbakonam and Pattukkottai are collecting samples from dealers and sending them to the Seed Testing Laboratory for germination and quality checks.
The authorities have also made it clear that selling varieties unsuitable for Samba cultivation or failing to follow the prescribed procedures could invite action under the relevant seed laws.
The tighter monitoring comes at an important time for farmers, with preparations for Samba cultivation underway across the Cauvery delta. Ensuring reliable and suitable seeds at the beginning of the season is expected to help farmers reduce risks and get their crop off to a healthy start.
