Mahabeej to supply seeds on subsidised rates for rabi season

The Maharashtra State Seed Corporation Limited (MSSCL) will provide seeds at subsidised rates to farmers for sowing in the rabi season, an official said on Tuesday.

Unseasonal rains recently caused damage to crops on about 70 lakh hectare land in Maharashtra, state finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said last week.

For the upcoming rabi season, the Akola-based MSSCL, popularly known by its brand name 'Mahabeej', has decided to provide quality seeds to farmers on subsidy, the corporation's general manager (marketing) Prakash Tatar told PTI.

"The MSSCL is ready to provide 2.5 lakh quintal seeds, including gram, wheat, sorghum and safflower, on subsidy for the rabi season. If required, more seeds would also be made available to cultivators," he said.

The rabi crops will be sown on around 50 lakh hectare land in the state, with about half of this area to be used only for gram cultivation, he added.