Smuggling of Bengal gram seeds going on unabated

​Nizamabad: Farmers cultivating Bengal gram and chick peas in the district are facing lot of hardships as they were not getting the Bengal gram seeds subsidised by the government while hoarders and middlemen are having a field day exploiting the farmers.

Huge quantities of Bengal gram seeds are being smuggled to the neighbouring States like Karnataka and Maharashtra from the borders of Nizamabad and Kamareddy towns much to the chagrin of the farmers.

What is shocking is that these clandestine activities are taking place in the hometown of Agriculture Minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy.

Although the State government issued a stern warning that action would be taken against those who indulge in black marketing and smuggling of Bengal Gram seeds, the middlemen are carrying out their activities in connivance with the officials concerned.

While the cost of a quintal of Bengal gram seeds in the district is Rs 7, 140, the cost is between Rs 11,000 and Rs 12,000 in Maharashtra.

As a result, the brokers and middlemen are taking the pass books of farmers who do not require Bengal gram seeds, purchasing them at subsidised rate and exporting them to Maharashtra to sell them at a higher price.

The sleuths of the Enforcement Directorate and Revenue department conducted raids and seized large quantities of Bengal gram and soya bean seeds which were hoarded illegally at the godowns in Tadvai and Pitlam mandals in the district. They also found 100 bags of Bengal gram seeds in one of the houses in Pitlam mandal.

Though the officials have assured that black marketing would be curbed and that there won’t be any scarcity of seeds, they are being smuggled out of the district and being sold at higher prices in Maharashtra, thus hurting the interests of farmers in Nizamabad and Kamareddy.

There is an urgent need for the officials of the Agriculture Department to conduct surveys and inspect the field to know whether the farmers were getting the subsidised Bengal gram seeds.

Speaking to The Hans India here on Thursday, farmers like Rajaiah and Balaraju said that there should be increased surveillance on the border areas of Nizamabad and Kamareddy to prevent the smuggling of such seeds. Security on the borders should be beefed up, they added.

Another farmer Maisaiah said that the cost of a quintal of Bengal gram seeds was Rs 13,000 in the open market while the State government was giving 39 per cent subsidy.

As such, farmers in large numbers were forced to cool their heels at the agriculture market yard facing lot of hardships in the heavy rush, waiting in the serpentine queues, he added.

He said that two bags of seeds were given on a single pass book and this is causing lot of problems and the seeds were available in the open market.

Farmers expressed the hope that the government would take appropriate steps and come to the rescue of the farmers.