The farmers of Lahaul Valley, who are famous in the production of potato seeds, are not getting the seeds. Thousands of farmers of Lahaul require about one thousand quintals of potato seeds. Only 289 quintal seeds have been available with the Agriculture Department. Apart from Jyoti and Chandramukhi in Lahaul, sowing of Santana potato is in full swing and farmers are constantly contacting LPS for potato seeds.
The Department of Agriculture has been providing breeder seed for seed potatoes to the farmers of Lahaul. Although some years ago LPS also provides breeder seed to the farmers through the Agriculture Department, but for the last few years, the breeder seed is not being available to the farmers as per the demand. The demand for Lahaul seed potatoes is all over the country. LPS chairman Sudarshan Jaspa said that Lahaul potato seed has been occupied by some companies of Punjab. In such a situation, very less breeder seed is being provided to the farmers and today the situation is such that people do not have seeds for sowing.
In May last year, LPS had made a demand for more than 600 quintals of breeder seed and on this issue, he had raised the same issue with the Secretary of Agriculture Department, Nisha Singh and Special Secretary Agriculture Department Rakesh Kanwar and assured that there is no shortage of breeder seed for the farmers. will be allowed to happen. But LPS could not get a single sack of breeder seed of Kufri Jyoti and Kufri Chandramukhi. Being a leading organization of potato growers of Lahaul, LPS will always be ready to lead the farmers. District Agriculture Officer, Lahaul-Spiti, Dr. Chaudhary Ram said that the department had sent a demand for 752 quintal seeds. But they have got 278 quintals of potato seeds.
Demand for one and a half lakh sacks of potato annually
There is a demand of 2.5 lakh bags of Lahaul potatoes annually across the country. In this, one lakh Yoti and Chandramukhi varieties and about one and a half lakh sacks of seeds are kept. But the farmer is not able to provide 50 percent potato seed to the country s demand. Whereas for the last few years, Kufri Jyoti and Kufri Chandramukhi are being sold for Rs 2000 each. In such a situation, now the trend of farmers is moving towards Kufri Jyoti and Kufri Chandramukhi.
This news has not been edited by Apni Kheti staff but has been published by various news feeds
Source: Amar Ujala
