National Seed Congress: Farmers must get high-quality seeds, fertilizers, says Agriculture Minister

At 13th National Seed Congress, private sector seeks relaxed policies.

The 13th National Seed Congress, a three-day conclave of policymakers, scientists, and farmers that began in Varanasi on Thursday (November 28, 2024), is seeking transformative solutions, especially in the wake of climate change and increasing diseases in various crops.

While the seed industry demanded “one nation, one licence“ to promote research and development and use of hybrid seeds introduced by the private sector, the Union government said it was committed to ensure that farmers get the best quality seeds.

The main organisers of the seed congress are the Union Agriculture Ministry, Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Ministry, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the National Seed Research and Training Centre, and the Federation of Seed Industries of India (FSSI).

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who addressed the gathering virtually, said the most critical factor for farming was good seeds. “Seeds are the lifeblood of farming. If we are able to provide good seeds to the farmers then there can be no greater service to agriculture than this,” he said and asked officials to take strict action against those who provide low quality seeds and fertilizers to farmers.

Mr. Chouhan hoped that the seed congress would be a vital platform where farmers, seed companies, and traders converge to discuss key issues. “Good quality seeds can boost production by 20%. To achieve this, a road map is essential to ensure that farmers receive high-quality seeds at reasonable prices and on time,” he said, adding that rising prices had made cotton seeds unaffordable for small farmers.

He urged seed manufacturers to provide sufficient quantities of seeds to ensure timely availability for farmers. He asked the organisers of the seed congress to prepare a road map and discuss an action taken report based on it at the next congress. He said the country had over 3,000 varieties of traditional rice and urged that their seeds should be preserved.

The Minister released an ‘Abstract Compendium’ and the ‘Rice Fallow Webpage and Atlas’ for Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and West Bengal.

The atlas, using geospatial technology, will map and analyse fallow lands in eastern India. “Developed in collaboration with researchers and policymakers, this tool provides actionable insights to optimise crop planning, enhance system intensification, and improve food security in the region,” the IRRI said in a release.

Surya Pratap Shahi, Agriculture Minister of Uttar Pradesh, said the State planned to set up 200 seed parks, alongside increased oilseed and millet cultivation, to bolster Uttar Pradesh’s agricultural leadership.

Yvonne Pinto, Director-General, IRRI, said the theme of the seed congress — “Fostering Regional Cooperation, Partnerships, and Knowledge in the Seed Sector — could not be more relevant as the world faced challenges such as climate change, food insecurity, and the need for sustainable agriculture.

Talking to The Hindu on the sidelines of the event, FSII Chairman Ajai Rana said the private sector spent 10% of its income for research and development. “Even the prime research institutes of the government do not provide 10% to R&D. Their funding is mostly used for salaries and pensions,” he said, demanding a “one nation, one licence” policy to help innovations from the private sector.

He said that though a lot of policy changes had happened in the seed sector for ease of doing business, they were not implemented. “The companies who invest six to eight years in R&D and develop new varieties of hybrid seeds will have to wait for three more years to get required permissions from States and Centre. Because of this, the access to new technology for farmers is delayed. We have requested the Centre to bring a policy of one nation, one licence by accepting data from companies from different agri-climatic zones. If the data are verified and accepted, we don’t have to deal with the difficulties of obtaining licences in every State,” he said, and added that private seed companies were working on hybrid seeds that are resistant to pink bollworm, a major pest that affects cotton crops. “But policies have become an impediment to test the results of these innovations,” he said.

Mr. Rana maintained that the private sector can play an important role in developing quality oil seeds too. “We are importing edible oil from Canada, U.S. and Brazil, etc., but they use genetically modified seeds. We can be self sufficient in oil production if we allow the introduction of new technologies here,” he said, calling for unanimity of views on the subject of GM crops.

Published - November 28, 2024 09:57 pm IST