Angered by the problem, the farmers in Sarlahi staged demonstrations at Lalbandi, on Sunday, demanding compensation. They said that the maize sowed on around 338 hectares of farmland in the two VDCs did not have corn in their cobs, complaining about the Rajkumar hybrid seeds they had purchased in the local market.

They took to the streets displaying their corn plants and went round Lalbandi. “Sixty percent of corn plants failed to yield. Rajkumar seeds failed,” said Basudev Koirala of Patharkot VDC. He added that they suffered a heavy loss due to the crop failure. Most of the farmers have sowed the corn seeds on farmland leased for Rs 40,000 per bigha.

Gopal Giri of Attrauli VDC said that he sowed the Rajkumar seeds on one-and-a-half bighas of land he leased for Rs 90,000, adding that an additional Rs 50,000 was spent in sowing the corns. He borrowed all the money.

“We suffered a heavy loss. We need compensation,” he said. Lokkumari Katuwal of Pattharkot said that she is worried about how to repay the debt she had incurred for the farming.

Dilip Gautam, who sold the seeds, said that this was the first time a problem was reported with the seeds. He pledged that he would report the problem to the production company.

After the government introduced a ‘Maize Mission Programme’ four years ago in an attempt to reduce maize import from India by increasing domestic production, farmers have been attracted to maize farming.

However, the government’s failure to regulate the import of seeds and to ensure availability of standard seeds in the local markets has left the farmers in a difficult position.