7 days ago
Soybean crop failure leaves Haveri farmers devastated
Haveri: Over 200 soybean farmers across several villages in Haveri district are staring at an agrarian crisis after seeds supplied by the Agriculture Department reportedly failed to germinate even 10 days after sowing. The affected farmers allege that poor-quality seeds distributed by the department's Raitha Samparka Kendra (RSK) are to blame for the disaster.
In areas such as Karjagi, Konanathambagi and Devagiri, farmers sowed soybean seeds after the recent spell of good rainfall, investing heavily in land preparation, labor, fertilizer, and seed procurement. However, their hopes were dashed as the seeds failed to sprout, leaving vast tracts of farmland barren. 'Normally, soybean seeds germinate within 7 days. But even after 10 days, nothing has emerged. In some fields, just a few seeds have sprouted, while most have rotted underground,' lamented local farmers, expressing deep frustration. Mallikarjun Ballari, General Secretary of the District Farmers' Association, voiced strong criticism of the Agriculture Department: 'The government cannot get away by offering compensation only for the poor-quality seeds. They must reimburse the full cost — including labor and fertilizers. Simply replacing seeds is not enough,' he told ETV Bharat.
Ballari also pointed out that despite adequate rainfall for sowing, the failure of germination has rendered farmers helpless. 'Our fields were in good condition. We did everything right. But the seeds failed us,' he a flood of complaints, agriculture officials have visited several affected fields to conduct inspections. They collected seed samples and have sent them to the Karnataka State Seeds Corporation and affiliated agricultural universities for analysis.
Initial reports suggest that a particular batch — KDS 726 hybrid seed lot — distributed under the government scheme is under suspicion for germination failure.
'We've sent samples to the supplying company and the agricultural university for analysis. Only after receiving their report can we make a concrete decision,' an official said, adding that seed suppliers have been asked to consider compensation.
With the monsoon setting in, farmers fear they may miss the critical sowing window. 'We don't have time for long investigations. We are not against verification, but we need immediate compensation or seed support to restart sowing this season,' farmers asserted. Some also voiced concern that the government is yet to recognize the scale of the problem. 'This is not an isolated case. It is spread across entire villages. If no urgent action is taken, it will severely affect the district's agricultural output,' a farmer from Karjagi warned.
This episode has intensified scrutiny of the Agriculture Department's procurement and quality-check process for distributing seeds under government programs. Political and farmers' organizations are now demanding accountability from the seed supplier as well as from the authorities responsible for verifying seed viability.
The failure comes at a time when farmers are already struggling with erratic rainfall and rising input costs. If corrective action and financial support are not provided soon, this could snowball into a larger agrarian protest.
The district administration is yet to announce any official compensation package. However, with tensions rising and with the sowing window narrowing, a swift and farmer-friendly intervention is being widely
demanded.
