In a fresh move to ease the burden on farmers, the Haryana government has announced an increase in subsidy on certified wheat seeds. The subsidy has been raised from Rs 1,000 per quintal last year to Rs 1,075 per quintal for the upcoming sowing season, officials said on Sunday, as per news agency PTI. According to the state government, the certified wheat seeds will be sold through government agencies such as HSDC, NSC, HAFED, HLRDL, IFFCO, KRIBHCO, NFL and others. The selling price has been fixed at Rs 3,000 per quintal, which translates to nearly Rs 1,200 per acre for farmers.
Price hike linked to MSP and incentives
Officials pointed out that the selling price of certified wheat seeds has gone up from Rs 2,875 per quintal last year to Rs 3,000 per quintal this year. The increase is due to the Rs 150 hike in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of wheat and an additional Rs 50 incentive per quintal being provided to seed-producing farmers.
Govt support to reduce farmer burden
"The state government has reduced the cost burden on the farmers by increasing the subsidy from Rs 1,000 per quintal to Rs 1,075 per quintal," the statement said. "This proactive measure will encourage timely sowing, promote the use of high-yielding and certified seed varieties, and ultimately lead to improved crop productivity and higher agricultural income," it added.
Large-scale cultivation in Haryana
Wheat is grown on around 60 to 62 lakh acres in Haryana every year. Of the 12 to 14 lakh quintals of certified wheat seed that are sold annually, nearly 5.5 lakh quintals are distributed through government agencies, while the rest comes from private seed producers. Reiterating its stand on farmer welfare, the Haryana government said it will continue to bring out farmer-centric schemes and subsidies to ensure the state remains a front-runner in bolstering the country's food grain reserves.
(With inputs from PTI)
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