Tomato farmers fall victim of seed cheating at Godagari

RAJSHAHI, Nov 9: The price of every 10 gram tomato seeds is Tk 800. The name of this hybrid variety seed is 'US Nasib'.  Farmers of Godagari upazila of Rajshahi have been cultivating this verity of tomato since last five to eight years.
They cultivate this verity of tomato getting bumper yield and quality in the last several years. But the farmers alleged, this year, the seed dealers cheated them supplying another species of tomato seed in lieu of 'US Nasib'.
According to field sources, about 12 to 15 varieties of hybrid tomato were grown this year at Godagari upazila. Mmost of the farmers cultivate US Nasib varity of tomato in different areas of the upazila.
But most of them fell victim of cheating this year. As a result, the tomato production may fall down. They alleged that the cultivated tomato verity is not the same US Nasib, it is another verity of tomato.
While talking to The Daily Observer, Farmer Morshed Alam of Mahishalbari area of the upazila said that he is deceived in cultivating Nasib verity of tomato in his two bighas of land. In the previous years, the type of tomato that he got which was big size and green in colour, but this year, he is showing small size of tomato.
Abdur Rahim, Mohammad Ali and Selim Reza, all of them are in the same area, said that many farmers stopped taking care of the tomato fields after sensing that they cultivated another species of tomato in lieu of US Nasib tomato this year.
Though the tomato is seen two weeks ago, but the size is not increased. The size of the cultivated tomato is very small and in white colour; such tomatoes will not be sold in the market. They have to face huge loss in tomato cultivation this year, they added.
 Zulfiqar Ali, a tomato grower of Bijoynagar village, said that he has cultivated US Nasib verity of tomato getting bumper production and good quality tomato in the previous year.
He cultivated tomato for bumper price and quick profit, but now he have to face huge loss as he was deceived by the tomato seed suppliers this year. Not only he but also all the marginal farmers have been deceived like him, and they have to see huge loss too, he added.
Concerned sources said that the fake seed suppliers company is Kashem Seeds. This supplyer has imported this seed from abroad. For several years, Kashmead Seed has been supplying seeds to farmers through a dealer named Bondh Beej Vandar.
This dealer sold this tomato seed throw 15 dealers to the farmers in different areas of the upazila  like previous years. Many farmers individually bought five to 10 kilogram of seeds this year. As a result, most of the farmers here have been deceived by the dishonest seed dealers, farmers added.
Naimul Haq, the owner of Monir Beej Vandar, said that he sold seeds taking seeds from Bondhu Beej Vandar this year. Mahabub Alam brought replacement seed named Nasib competing with Kashem Seeds and made business of crore taka this year.
Now Mahabub Alam is missing;  his seed store is closed, and his phone is switched off, he added.     
Retail seed dealers and farmers have informed verbally to the agriculture officer in this connection. But the Upazila Agriculture Extension Officer Tofikur Rahman doesn't know anything in this connection.
He said, till now no farmer has complained to him about this. If he receives any complaint, he will take necessary measures in this connection after investigation.
The government allowed the import of seeds. They do not have the power to see whether the seeds are real or fake. However, if the farmer is deceived by the seed, the liability goes to the seed suppliers, the officer added.
According to the Upazila Agriculture office, the majority of the total winter tomato is being produced at Godagari upazila of the county. This trend of cultivating tomato in this upazila has continued for more than a decade. For many years, the tomato farmers of Godagari were counting losses due to various reasons.
But last year they got some profit. Getting this profit, the farmers cultivated 2,630 hectors of land in this year which was 200 hectors more than the previous year's.  
After 10-15 days, farmers will collect tomato yields from fields.