Farmers' 'no' to imported hybrid seeds

(File photo) HYV seed paddy ready for harvest at Dhidpur village. The photo was taken last year.

The HYV seeds, scientifically produced and preserved with assistance from agriculture experts, are in good demand because they give higher yield and need lesser irrigation, the producers and users say.

This has opened the door to prosperity for many farmers. They produced about 800 maunds of seeds last year, bought by wholesalers from different areas of Mymensingh and Tangail districts.

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Encouraged by local Agriculture Extension Department (AED) officials, a few farmers initiated this in 1999. Now, about 100 small farmers have taken to commercial production and preservation of HYV seeds. They are not contract growers of (BADC) Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation.

The yield from HYV seeds is four to five maunds higher than from hybrid seeds. The producers and users are very happy now because this has freed them from dependence on imported seeds. They said paddy produced from imported hybrid seeds can not be kept for use as seed later, thus making farmers dependent on imported seeds.

"I got 26 maunds from one bigha by cultivating BR-29 (HYV seed) last year. Hybrid seeds yield 20 maunds at best", Kala Mia of Dhidpur village told this correspondent during a recent visit. He is cultivating locally processed BR-29 this year also.

The response from farmers to go for commercial production of local HYV seeds has also encouraged AED officials, who arranged an exhibition on seed preservation last year.

The great job was initiated by Block Supervisor Mohammad Mohiuddin. He convinced five farmers of Dhidpur village to produce and preserve HYV seeds. Kala Mia is one of them.

"At first I did not care what Mohiuddin said. As he requested me, I agree to produced HYV seeds. He (Mohiuddin) showed me how to preserve the seed. Last year I sold 45 mounds and earned Tk 45,000", Kala Mia said.

Abul Kalam, produced 150 maunds of Binashail (HYV) seeds on two acres last year and earned Tk 50,000 by selling 50 maunds. "Farmers prefer our seeds", he said.

Kalu Mia of Shantigonj village produced BREE-28 seeds. "BREE-28 gives better yield than hybrid seeds".

Block supervisor Mohiuddin said farmers can get three paddy crops --Amon, Aush and Boro--a year by using HYV seeds.

The farmers said their preservation method is very simple. They select the best quality paddy to preserve those as seed. After harvest they dry those in sunshine for four days and keep those in specially made air-tight containers made of clay or some other material, using preservatives which are also cheap and locally available. They keep the containers in dry place.

They dry the seed in sunshine once in a month till their use.

Bhaluka Upazila Agriculture Officer Tofazzal Hossen said farmers can grew HYV seeds thrice a year. About 200 maunds of seed paddy can be produced on one acre in a year. This has opened the door to prosperity for many farmers and stopped their dependence on imported hybrid seeds, he said.