Raxil row to delay availability of wheat seed in state

Tribune News Service

Sirsa, July 12

The ongoing Raxil row in the Haryana Seed Development Corporation (HSDC) is set to delay the processing of seeds and lead to an acute scarcity of wheat seed in Haryana at the onset of the rabi sowing season.

Following opposition to the purchase of costlier Raxil 2%DS by ignoring a lower bid, the HSDC has already decided to cancel its tender dated July 2. The corporation will now have to go through a fresh process of e-tenders.

“It will be very difficult for the HSDC to provide enough seed by October when farmers would start demanding it,” said Rajender Singh Beniwal, an elected Director of the HSDC whose efforts deterred the corporation from purchasing Raxil for Rs 55 per pouch when another company had filled the tender for Rs 29.60.

Beniwal alleged that in no other state except Haryana, the authorities were supplying Raxil or its equivalent tebuconazole with wheat seeds while the HSDC has been unnecessarily thrusting it on farmers for reasons best known to the authorities.

While admitting that the re-tendering process was likely to cause delay, BS Duggal, MD of the HSDC, however, said the corporation was doing its best to provide the seeds in time.

“We have started packing our seed in 50 kg packs. Once, we purchase the fungicide, we will immediately transfer the seed to marketable 40 kg bags,” he said.

Duggal admitted that no other wheat-producing state was using Raxil and added that the decision for 100 per cent treatment of wheat seed was first taken by Haryana in 2011 on the recommendations of Haryana Agriculture University, which found it effective against Karnal bunt, flag smut and loose smut.