In Chuadanga, maize seed bought at a high price in hope of profit is not giving good yields. Nearly 50 farmers who sowed the same variety have seen their hopes dashed. They bought the "Sena Zero Fifty-Five" variety from the newly launched Rihan Feed company at Tk 850 a kg, and say they now face losses of Tk 15,000 to Tk 20,000 a bigha.

Farmers who leased land to grow maize have been hit hardest. They say they cannot even recover the cost of seed, irrigation and fertiliser, and paying the lease money has become impossible. Having suffered these losses, they cannot afford to plant again.

Farmers are cutting the green maize and using it as cattle feed. Growers in Alamdanga and Damurhuda upazilas are the worst affected and fear they will not get the expected yield this year. The agriculture department says close planting may reduce yields, but if farmers have been cheated with any seed and this is proven, action will be taken against those involved.

Jasidul Islam, a maize grower from Hudapara in Chitla village, Gokulkhali union, Alamdanga upazila, said: "Hearing it was an improved variety, I bought 'Sena Zero Fifty-Five' seed at a high price this year and sowed it on 3 bighas of leased land. But the plants have grown thin and tall and their tops are curling. The cobs that formed are underdeveloped and not plump. Some plants flowered but set no cobs. Different kinds of plants have grown from the same seed. It looks as if new and old seed were mixed."

He said: "Green maize plants are being cut from the fields for cattle feed. Each farmer faces a loss of Tk 15,000 to Tk 25,000 a bigha. When farmers go to the seed dealer to escape this loss, the dealer puts the blame on the seed company."

Atiar Bepari, a grower from the same area, said: "There is no yield at all on Jasidul's land. Hardly any cobs have come, and the few that did have no strength. This seed company has cheated us because we are simple people."

Another farmer, Mustafizur Rahman, said: "Jasidul uncle bought the seed from a dealer in Bhalaipur and planted maize. There is no yield at all. The whole field of maize is being cut. And although this maize was planted earlier, it is still immature."

Ashraful, a farmer from Kalabari village in Juranpur union of Damurhuda upazila, grew maize on 1 bigha 5 kathas with the same seed. "Last year I got 48 maunds a bigha. This time, with 'Sena Zero Fifty-Five' seed, I will get only about 10 to 15 maunds. This seed has left us completely ruined," he said.

Babu Akter Babul, marketing officer of Rihan Feed, which supplies the seed, said: "We have received such complaints too. We have sat down with the farmers to discuss it and will find a solution soon."

Md Masudur Rahman Sarkar, deputy director of the Chuadanga agricultural extension department, said: "We have received the news. Quite a few farmers are worried about the yield from this variety. I have informed my upazila agriculture officer. The matter will be investigated in person, and we will take legal action after the investigation."

According to the district office of the Department of Agricultural Extension, Chuadanga is one of the top three maize-producing districts in the country. Maize has been grown on 47,955 hectares this year, 500 hectares more than last year, and 575,000 tonnes are expected. The district's total cultivable land is 94,222 hectares.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.