WHY NOT PU-201?

Following reports that farmers at some places had sown the nursery of the controversial PAU 201 variety of paddy, Secretary, Food and Supplies Department, Punjab, DS Grewal said the government procurement agencies would not procure this variety.

Though this is a high yielding variety and farmers prefer to transplant it, but the Centre does not accept the rice prepared from it for the Central pool. In fact, this variety was sown two years ago in a large area. The rice prepared from it had created a big headache for the Punjab Government, which had to hold several meetings with the Centre, to get some specifications relaxed in case of this variety.

Though specifications were relaxed, but the Centre had accepted only a part of the rice prepared from it. About 4 lakh tonnes of rice prepared from it is still lying with the rice millers.

“We want to make it clear that if any of the farmers is sowing the nursery of this variety, he is doing so on his own risk,” said Grewal. “Obviously, the issue will also be taken up with the government authorities concerned to ask the Agriculture Department to persuade farmers not to transplant 201 variety of paddy,” he added.

Sources said the next crop of paddy would mature in October and November, a few weeks before the announcement for the Assembly elections in the state. Many farmers have the view that because of its electoral compulsions, the SAD-BJP Government would have to procure all the paddy brought to the various grain markets.