PROMOTION OF QUALITY SEED THROUGH VARIOUS SCHEMES

PRESENTED BY

S. SELVARAJ

DEPUTY COMMISSIONER (SEEDS)

SEEDS

Critical determinant of agricultural production. Quality seeds appropriate to different agro-climatic

conditions. Sufficient quantity at affordable prices are required to raise

productivity. Availability and use of quality seeds is not a one-time

affairs. Sustained increase in agriculture production and

productivity. Continuous development of new and improved varieties. Efficient system of seed production and supply is required.

Steps Taken for Quality Seed Production

Systematic production of breeder, foundation and certified/quality seeds.

Assistance provided for seeds in different schemes being implemented by the Government of India.

Formulation of policies/plans viz: New Policy on Seed Development, 1988; National Seed Policy 2002 and National Seed Plan 2005-06.

Boosting seed production in private sector.

Production of Breeder, Foundation and

Certified/Quality Seeds • Indian seed programme follows “limited generation system” of seed

multiplication in a phased manner.• System recognizes three generations of seeds, viz. Breeder,

Foundation and certified seeds and provides safeguards for quality assurance in seed multiplication chain to maintain purity of variety as it flows from the breeder to the farmers.

Type of Seeds Unit 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08

Breeder Seed Production

Qtl. 66460 68654 73829

Foundation Seed Production

Qtl. 577220 820205 822384

Certified/Quality Seed Distribution

Qtl. 14051000 1418000 19431000

Formulation of Plan/Policy i. New Policy on Seed Development 1988 - to provide the incentive to

encourage domestic seed industry.

ii. The National Seed Policy 2002. The thrust areas include varietal development, plant variety protection; seed production; quality assurance; seed distribution and marketing; infrastructure facilities; transgenic plant varieties; import and export of seeds, etc; promotion of the domestic seed industry; strengthening of monitoring system, etc.

.iii. The National Seed Plan 2005-06. Self Pollinated Crops – 25% Cross Pollinated Crops – 33% Hybrid Crops – 100% Requirement of seed 258.87 lakh qtls. as in 2005-06 and

determined a gap of 118.37 lakh qtls. in terms of availability at that point of time.

Boosting Seed Production in Private Sector

• The National Seed Policy, 2002 - A greater role for the private sector in seed production in the country.

• Private sector contributes 41.09% of the seeds produced in 2007-08 i.e. 76.50 lakh quintals.

• However, its domain still remains in low volume high value seeds. • The Government of India also implements a Scheme to boost seed

production in the private sector. • Assistance is provided through credit linked back-ended capital

subsidy at the rate of 25% of the project cost subject to a maximum limit of Rs.10 lakh per unit on seed infrastructure development.

• The assistance has been enhanced to a maximum limit of Rs.25 lakh per unit on seed infrastructure development in the Eleventh plan (2007-08 onwards).

Impact and Improvement in Position regarding

Availability of Certified/ Quality Seeds

There is significant Improvement in Availability of Seed

as indicated below: Year Availability in Lakh

Quintals % Change

2005-06 140.50 6.22

2006-07 148.18 5.47

2007-08 194.31 31.13

2008-09 250.35 28.84

Impact of Programmes/ Policies

• Seed availability and consequently, the production gap against requirement under NSP has improved substantially as indicated in the table below:

There is significant Improvement in Availability of Seed as

indicated below:

Year Availability % Change in lakh qtls.

• 2005-06 140.50 6.22• 2006-07 148.18 5.47• 2007-08 194.31 31.13• 2008-09 250.35 28.84

Seed Replacement Rate has Improved Crop SRR in 2001 SRR in 2007

Wheat 13% 25.25%

Rice 19.22% 36.77%

Maize 20.98% 44.24%

Gram 4.17% 18.35%

Urd 16.55% 23.89%

Moong 13.47% 21.75%

Arhar 8.71% 16.05%

Groundnut 5.2% 14.24%

Rapeseed & Mustard 38.39% 76.34%

Soybean 12.44% 33.39%

Sunflower 13.73% 69.17%

Constraints in seed production i). Seed infrastructure facilities relating to seed production,

processing and storage requires improvement and substantial upgradation which requires high capital investment.

ii). Almost 80% of the seeds used in Indian agriculture is farm saved seeds. Systematic upgradation of the quality of farm saved seeds is required including training in seed production technology. Scheme such as Seed Village programme have been introduced to improve the quality of farm saved seeds.

iii). Frequent occurrence of natural calamities like drought, floods, etc. in one or the other parts of the country enhances the seed requirement of the affected area.

iv). Seed distribution is low and costly in the North Eastern States and other hill States which has an impact on overall agricultural production and nutritional security.

v).Seed quality control arrangements require upgradation and strengthening.

vi). Hybrid seeds capable of giving higher yield are not available for some important crops like Pulses. While hybrid of some other crops such as rice have not become popular on account of high cost of seeds and low purchasing power of the farmers.

Seeds Requirement as per National Seed Plan

Qty. in Lakh Qtls Requirement

(NSP)Seed

Availability 2005-06

Seed Availability

2006-07

Seed Availability

2007-08

Seed Availability

2008-09

Gap in Seed Production

Paddy 94.37 36.70 40.35 53.54 66.14 -28.23

Wheat 68.75 40.01 45.68 66.99 87.68 +18.93

Maize 9.63 8.86 8.08 5.53 7.40 -2.23

Other Cereals

12.02 8.4 6.91 7.92 8.01 -4.01

All Cereals 184.77 93.97 101.02 133.98 169.23 -34.47

PULSES

Arhar 1.16 0.99 1.19 1.67 1.748 +0.58

Urd 1.80 2.07 1.46 1.79 3.13 +1.33

Moong 1.75 1.9 1.63 1.69 2.47 +0.72

Gram 15.93 2.96 5.7 6.08 8.35 -7.58

Lentil 0.90 0.41 0.26 0.62 0.59 -0.31

Peas 1.12 0.34 0.44 1.15 1.29 +0.17

Other Pulses 0.60 0.2 0.32 0.41 0.70 +0.10

All Pulses 23.26 8.87 11 13.41 18.278 -7.83

OILSEEDS

Groundnut 28.12 11.19 11.14 17.62 31.87 +3.75

Soybean 9.68 14.78 13.48 16.91 18.01 +8.33

Rape Seed & Mustard

1.08 1.6 1.97 1.96 2.06 +0.98

Sunflower 1.46 1.33 1.02 1.11 0.59 -0.59

Sesamum 0.21 0.23 0.21 0.20 0.27 +0.06

Safflower 0.16 0.13 0.08 0.09 0.07 -0.09

Caster 0.89 0.56 0.63 0.56 0.56 -0.33

All Oil Seeds 41.60 29.82 28.53 38.45 53.43 -1.40

FIBRE

Cotton 3.87 2.88 2.56 2.61 2.72

Jute 0.36 0.52 0.37 0.80 0.42

Mesta 0.08 0.02 0.06 0.18 0.47

Sunhemp 0.05 0 0 0 0

Total 4.36 3.42 2.99 3.59 3.61

Potato and others 4.88 4.42 4.56 4.88 5.29

All Crops 258.87 140.5 148.10 194.31 250.34

Schemes of Government of India Providing Assistance for Seeds

 Scheme/Component

Crop Scale of Assistance

Macro  Management

Mode of Agriculture-State Work Plan

Rice and Wheat Bajra, Jowar, Ragi

and Barley

(i)Rs.500/- per quintal or 50% of the cost, whichever is less for certified seed distribution for rice and wheat.

(ii) Rs.800/- per quintal or 50% of the cost, whichever is less for certified seed distribution of varieties for Bajra, Jowar and Barley

(iii) Rs.1000/- per quintal for certified seed distribution of hybrid of Bajra and Jowar.

(iv)Rs.1000/- quintal or 50% of the cost, whichever is less for assistance for production hybrid rice seed.

(v)Rs.2000/- per quintal or 50% of the cost, whichever is less assistance for production hybrid rice seed distribution.

Integrated Scheme on Oilseeds, Pulses, Oil Palm and Maize

All Oilseeds, Pulses and Maize

    Oil Palm Sprouts

(i) Full cost for purchase of Breeder seed.

(ii) Rs.1000/- quintal for foundation and certified seed production.

(iii) Rs.1200/- per quintal or 25% of Seeds cost whichever is less for certified seed distribution.

(iv) Full cost of Seed Minikits of high yielding varieties (implementing agency NSC/SFCI).

(v) 75% of the cost with a ceiling of Rs.7500/ha.for entire land holding of farmers.

Technology Mission on Cotton

Cotton Seed (i) 50% of the cost or Rs.50/- per kg. whichever is less for foundation seed production. 

(ii) 25% of the cost or Rs..15/- per kg. whichever is less for Certified seed production.

(iii) Rs.20/- per kg. for certified seed  distribution.

(iv) 50% of the cost limited to Rs.40/- per kg. seed treatment

Technology Mission on Jute and Mesta

Jute and Mesta (i)  50% of the  cost limited to Rs.3000/- per quintal for foundation seed production.

(ii) 25% of the  cost limited to Rs.700/- per quintal for Certified seed production

(iii) 50% of the cost limited to Rs.2000/- per quintal for certified seed distribution.

National Food Security Mission

Rice (i) Rs.1000/- per quintal or 50% of the cost whichever is less for certified hybrid rice seed production.

(ii) Rs.2000/- per quintal or 50% of Seeds cost whichever is less for certified hybrid rice seed distribution.

(iii) Rs.5/- per kg.. or 50% of the cost, whichever is less for certified high yielding varieties seed distribution.

(iv) Full cost of Seed Minikits of high yielding varieties.

Wheat (i)   Rs.5/- per kg. or 50% of the cost whichever is less for certified high yielding varieties seed distribution

 (ii) Full cost of Seed Minikits of high yielding varieties.

Pulses (i)   Rs.1000/- per quintal for foundation and certified seeds production.

(ii) Rs.1200/- per quintal or 50% of the cost whichever is less for certified     seed distribution.

(iii) Full cost of Seed Minikits of high yielding varieties

Seed Village Programme

All Agricultural Crops

(i)  To upgrade the quality of farmer saved seed financial assistance for distribution of foundation/certified seeds at 50% cost of the seed for production of quality seeds.

(ii)  Assistance to train the farmers on seed production and seed technology @ Rs.15000/- for a group of 50-150 farmers.

(iii) to encourage farmers to develop storage capacity of appropriate quality assistance @ 33% subject to a maximum of Rs. 3000/- for SC/ST farmers and @ 25% subject to maximum of Rs. 2000/- for other farmers for procuring seeds storage bin of 20 qtl. capacity .Assistance @ 33% subject to maximum of Rs. 1500/- to SC/ST farmers and @ 25% subject to maximum of Rs. 1000/- for other farmers for making seeds storage bin of 10 qtl. capacity in the seed villages where seed village scheme is being implemented.

Transport subsidy on Movement of Seeds to North Eastern States including Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand & Hill areas of West Bengal

 All certified seeds excluding potato

(i) 100% difference between road and rail transportation charge is being reimbursed to implementing States/Agencies for movement of seeds produced from outside the State to the identified State Capital/District Headquarter.

 (ii) Actual cost restricted to maximum limit of Rs.60/- per quintal  whichever is less for movement of seeds transported within the State from State Capital/District Headquarter to sale outlets/sale counters is being reimbursed.

Hybrid Rice Seed Production

Only Rice

Hybrid Rice Seed Production assistance Rs.2000/qtls.

Hybrid Rice Seed Distribution assistance Rs2500/qtls.

c. Creation and Strengthening of Infrastructure Facilities

All Crops

To create/strengthen infrastructure facilities for production and distribution of quality seeds for the States/State Seeds Corporation financial assistance for creating facilities for seed cleaning, grading, processing, packing and seed storage is being provided in public sector

Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana

All Crops

All Activities including Seed Infrastructure Facilities