Srinagar July 2 (KNS): Farmers in the Handwara area are allaged the Agriculture Department of giving them poor-quality potato seeds instead of the promised high-quality hybrid seeds. As a result, their crops failed completely, and many have suffered heavy financial losses.
Reports reaching to Kashmir News Service (KNS) the farmers said that instead of growing potatoes, only weeds came up from the fields. One farmer said,
Talking to farmer in Handwara, he said that i was hoping to harvest at least 25 quintals of potatoes this year. But when I dug up the land, there were no potatoes at all only grass.”
The farmers say they have always trusted the Agriculture Department in the past, as the seeds used to be tested and of good quality. This time, however, they claim the seeds were of very poor quality and feel cheated.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
They are demanding a proper investigation and strict action against those responsible.
Talking to agriculture officer Sheikh Manzoor saud that a special team has been formed to look into the complaints.
“We have received reports from the farmers. A team is preparing a detailed report, which will be submitted to the department. If the seeds are found to be substandard, strict action will be taken, and the affected farmers will be compensated,” he said.
This incident has caused great disappointment and anger among farmers, and has raised serious concerns about the functioning of the agriculture system in the area. (KNS)