At over 36 lakh quintal soybean seeds, farmers exceed state’s demand for next Kharif season

Unlike hybrid crops such as cotton and vegetables, soybean is an open pollination variety which allows farmers to reuse its seeds. On an average, the state requires around 30 lakh quintal seeds, most of which is supplied by private players. However, unseasonal rain towards the end of October last year had affected the quality of soybean seeds in the state.

In a special program initiated at the beginning of the growth phase of this season, the agriculture department had encouraged farmers to preserve seeds for the next season. Farmers were asked to identify the plants in the middle of their fields and the ones whose vegetative growth was good. Utmost care was taken during harvesting of the same. Post-harvest storage for the selected seeds, such as not stacking multiple bags, using gunny bags for storage and keeping the bag in an elevated platform, were some of the measures which were popularised among the farmers. Around one quintal of seed is required for sowing over a hectare of the oilseed.

Dilip Zende, director of inputs and quality control, department of agriculture, said that the state has reported the collection of 36.38 lakh quintal seeds till date. Districts in the Latur and Amravati division have reported the highest production of seeds. Over 6.39 lakh hectare of area was used for seed production and 3.09 lakh farmers had participated in the program.

Farmers in the state usually sow soybean over 40 lakh hectare, making it the second most important crop here after cotton. The oilseed is grown mostly in Vidarbha and Marathwada areas of the state, which is the second largest producer of soybean in the country after Madhya Pradesh.