BANGALORE: The Department of Agriculture has decided to distribute seeds at subsidised prices through Raitha Samparka Kendras from June 5 for the kharif season.

Minister for Agriculture Bandeppa Kashempur told presspersons here on Thursday that the seed subsidy for small and marginal farmers had been increased from 50 per cent to 75 per cent. The department would issue coupons to farmers to enable them to buy seeds at subsidised prices from the 750 Raitha Samparka Kendras and other nodal agencies identified by the department.

Small and marginal farmers must register their names at the kendras by May 15 by paying a fee of Re. 1 to be eligible to obtain seeds at subsidised rates. They have to produce one of nine documents to receive coupons. The documents are: Election Commission identity card, ration card, driving licence, identity card of a company (private or public), bank or post-office passbook, land record, electricity or telephone bill, revenue payment receipts and disability/pension certificate.

Mr. Kashempur said an estimated 3.59 lakh quintals of seeds of 13 kinds of farm produce would be supplied to small and marginal farmers at a cost of Rs. 75 crore.

The seeds that would be supplied at subsidised prices are paddy, jowar, ragi, wheat, red gram, black gram, green gram, maize, groundnut, cotton, soya been, sunflower and cowpea.

The Minister said directions had been issued to officials not to insist on particular companies or impose any brand on farmers. The officials had also been told not to insist that farmers produce "pahani" extract (revenue record of crops grown) to claim the subsidy.

The department had set a target of 115 lakh tonnes of foodgrains for 2006-07, the Minister said.

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