Shillong: Meghalaya is walking a tightrope. The state holds only 17,279 quintals of seed stock, a buffer so thin it leaves farmers with zero room for error. Erratic monsoon patterns could easily ruin this year's harvest.
The Union Agriculture Ministry flagged the issue this week. Officials warned that Jharkhand and Nagaland also face severe shortages. If the rain stalls or crops fail, Meghalaya has no backup plan for a quick switch.
State authorities now face a race against time. Farmers and agriculture officials must assess district-level requirements immediately to secure drought-tolerant and short-duration varieties. They must coordinate directly with the National Seeds Corporation to avoid a collapse.
The government issued a firm directive to mitigate the risk during this sowing window. Officials said they must act to "avoid any last-minute shortages during this critical sowing window." Failure to plan now means empty fields later.
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