Berhampur,Scarcity of potato not new for Odisha as every year the scarcity surfaces for couple of months and the govt plans for increase of the production of the most sought vegitable of each household.No doubt the efforts are appreciable,but seldom achives its target,mostly due to lack of forevision of exciting official.After more than two decades BJP came to power in the state and the previous ruller BJD started blaming the BJP govt,as the potato crisis again came to fore.During previous govt potato mission excuted,but the production was so meager to meet the need of the state,rather the state depended on import of ppotato from other states.This year,the scarcity crisis arised and the present govt find the lacuna due to lack of cold storage.Now,the state govt decided to establish more cold stores and to enhence the production.Even targets of potato production has been fixed.However,no steps were taken to findout the reasson of low production of potato in the state,although the soil for the cultivation is condusive in several districts including Ganjam.This year,the state govt has directed the Odisha State Seeds Corporation (OSSC) to procure 1.87 lakh quintals of certified potato seeds.Accordingly orders has been placed with major potato producing states.Even,some officials including the Director of state Horticulture dept reportedly,personally visited the said supplier states to verify the quality of the seeds.Accordingly,the potato seeds reached the state and disbursed to different districts.Unlike other districts,Ganjam district also prepared its plan for increase the cultivable lands and production.According to K.Jena,deputy director of horticulture dept,Ganjam,this year a target has been fixed to cultivate the potato in over 700 hectres of land in the district and indented for 9100 quintals of seed.The potato seeds started reaching various blocks in the district and also distributed to the farmers.The Asst director of horticulture(ADH),Ganjam,S.Panda said,the horticulture dept purchases the seeds at Rs 42.86/-per kg,but sold to the farmers at Rs 20/-per kg with a later subsidy of Rs 10/-.By second week of current month the potato seed distribution scheduled to be completed said the ADH adding that the subsidy money will deposited on the account of the farmers subsequently.Under proper guidence,the cultivation is being taken up and by ensuing March potato will be produced,said official sources.The horticulture dept also for a harvest of a maximum 15 quintal and minimum of 10 quintal from one quintal of seed.The horticulture dept also hoped for a potato harvest of 1,36,500 quintal this year,if every thing goes smoothly. Simanchal nahak,secretary Rushikulya Rayat Mahasabha,has criticised the state govt for making faulty plans without foresight.The potato mission excuted by previous govt was a failure and the plan of the present govt too not viable in the present scenario said Nahak.Justifying his claim,Nahak said in previous years,the potato seeds supplied by horticulture dept to the cultivators,also very low and a few cultivators only got their invested money.The reason can be attributed to lack of guidence and supervision by the horticulture dept officials and above all,the supply of seeds,just before their expiry date.This year too the similar situation repeated,with a delay of around a month,as usually the seeds were distributed during November in previous years.The procured seeds has the period of test march-April and valid upto 9 months,provided seed is stored under cool and dry environment.However,the seeds supplied to the blocks stocked in normal rooms.Now the cultivators are being allured by the horticulture officials to purchase as much they can,as a few takers are there.The irony is that,the staffs of horticulture dept in different blocks are supposed to deposit the money against the supply,whether sold or not sold.Taking adventage of the situation,some farmers purchased potato seeds to consume insted of cultivation,as its price is much less than the market price.However the horticulture staffs denied such consumption.They said,the seed supply is delayed,but the cultivation will taken up as the farmers are hopeful to arrange water for the cultivation.However they remained tightlipped about the expiry period of the seeds.
