Lok Sabha Question No. 263 (STARRED), answered on 2022-03-22
Subject: Availability of Certified Quality Seeds
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: C.N. Annadurai, Dhanush M Kumar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.263

TO BE ANSWERED ON 22 ND  MARCH, 2022

## AVAILABILITY OF CERTIFIED QUALITY SEEDS

*263.  SHRI C.N. ANNADURAI: SHRI DHANUSH M. KUMAR:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

(a) the  details  of  the  estimated  demand  and  supply  of  seeds  in  the  country  including Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu; (b) whether  the  Government  has  reviewed  the  adequacy  of  research  support  for  the development of seeds and if so, the details thereof; (c) whether the Government has launched any scheme to provide seeds at lower prices to farmers living below poverty line in the country including Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, if so, the details thereof; (d) the number of farmers benefitted from the scheme during the last three years; (e) whether the Government has utilized the services of Non-Governmental Organisations to provide seeds to farmers and if so, the details of such organisations; and (f) whether the Government has fixed any time period for these organisations to execute

- the task and if so, details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी (SHRI NARENDRASINGH TOMAR)

- (a) to (f): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT  IN  RESPECT  OF  PARTS  (a)  TO  (f)  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA  STARRED QUESTION  NO.  263  FOR    22 ND     MARCH,  2022  REGARDING  AVAILABILITY  OF CERTIFIED QUALITY SEEDS.

(a): Government of India coordinates with the States in meeting their seed requirement and  availability  through  the  mechanism  of  biannual  Zonal  Seeds  Review  Meetings  and National Conference on Agriculture prior to each sowing season. For future seed planning, Government of India ask States/UTs to prepare Seed Rolling Plan to ensure availability of seeds in future also. As reported by the States, the details of the demand and the supply of certified/quality seed in the country (including Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu) isas under:

(Quantity in Lakh Quintals)

| Year    |   Requirement |   Availability |
|---------|---------------|----------------|
| 2019-20 |        387.31 |         431.01 |
| 2020-21 |        443.16 |         483.66 |
| 2021-22 |        465.36 |         498.83 |

(b): Indian Council  of Agricultural  Research  (ICAR)  is  carrying various  research programmes including 25 All-India Coordinated Research Projects (AICRPs) and All-India Network Projects (AINPs) and seven other projects through their 732 centers located in 65 ICAR-Institutes, 3 Central Agricultural Universities (CAUs), 48 State Agricultural Universities  (SAUs)  and  726  Krishi  Vigyan  Kendras  (KVKs).  These  programmes  are reviewed annually through the Annual Group Meetings. The varietal and other technology development  programme  of  the  ICAR-Institutes  is  reviewed  by  the  Research  Advisory Committee,  and  Quinquennial  Review  Team.  Through  Breeder  Seed  Review  Meetings, regular review is being done for promotion of new high yieldingvarieties. A total 1956 high yielding, stress-tolerant crop varieties of field crops which include 924 varieties of cereals (rice  442,  wheat  127),  291  varietiesof  oilseeds,  304  varietiesof  pulses,  239  varietiesof fiber/commercial  crops,  118  varietiesof  forage  crops,  64  varietiesof  sugarcane  and  16 varietiesof other crops for different agro-climatic zones of the country (in which more than 1600 varieties are climate resilience) were release since 2014 onwards.

- (c): Government  of  India  provides  financial  assistanceto  different  State  governments and UTs(including Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu)for production, distribution of seeds and for other interventions related to seed sector through various schemes viz. Sub-Mission on Seeds and Planting Materials (SMSP), National Food Security Mission (NFSM), Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) for small and marginal farmers of the country. The pattern of assistance for seed production, distribution and other related activities under theseschemes of DA&FW isplaced at Annexure-I .
- (d): The  details  of  farmers  benefitted  under  Seed  Village  Programme  component  of Sub-Mission on Seeds and Planting Materials (SMSP) scheme is as under:

| Financial Year   |   No. of farmers benefitted (in lakhs) |
|------------------|----------------------------------------|
| 2018-19          |                                  34.69 |
| 2019-20          |                                  32.2  |
| 2020-21          |                                  36.44 |

(e) & (f):    Government of India provides assistance to different State governments and UTsunder various schemes, which furtherdistribute it to small and marginal farmers.

## Annexure-I

## DETAILS OF ASSISTANCE/SUBSIDY AVAILABLE FOR SEED PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION UNDER SCHEMES/PROGRAMMES OF DA&FW, MOA&FW, GOI

|   S. No. | Scheme/ Component                               | Crop                                                                                                                                       | Scale of Assistance                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|----------|-------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Sub-Mission on Seeds & Planting Material (SMSP) | Seed Village Programme (60% GOI and 40% State Share, 90:10 for Hill& NE Region, 100% for UTs and Central Agencies)                         | a) Distribution of Seeds: To upgrade the quality of farmer saved seed financial assistance for distribution of foundation / certified seeds @ 50% cost of the seeds for Cereals crops and 60% for oilseeds, pulses, green manure and fodder crops is provided for 1 acre of area per farmer for production of quality seeds. b) Farmers Training : Assistance to train the farmers on seed production and seed technology @Rs.15000/- for a group of 50-150 farmers. c) Seed Treating/Dressing Drums: Financial assistance for treating seeds@ Rs.3500 per seed treating drum of 20Kg capacity and Rs. 5000 per drum of 40Kg capacity. d) Storage Bins: To encourage farmers to develop storage capacity of appropriate quality, financial assistance is provided to farmers for purchasing Seed Storage bins. The rate of assistance is as under.  @33% for SC/ST farmers for 10 qtls. capacity Rs.1500  @33% for SC/ST farmers for 20 qtls. capacity Rs.3000  @25% for General farmers for 10 qtls. capacity Rs.1000  @25% for General farmers for 20 qtls. capacity Rs.2000 |
|        1 | Sub-Mission on Seeds & Planting Material (SMSP) | Certified Seed Production through Seed Village (60% GOI and 40% State Share, 90:10 for Hill& NE Region, 100% for UTs and Central Agencies) | a) Distribution of Seeds: Financial assistance for distribution of foundation seeds @ 75% cost of the seeds of oilseeds, pulses, green manure and fodder crops is provided to the farmers. b) Farmers Training: Assistance to train the farmers on seed production and seed technology @Rs.15000/- for a group of 50-150 farmers. c) Certification Charge: 50% Seed Certification charges maximum of Rs.600/ha or actual whichever is less for certification of seeds produced under the programme. d) Seed Processing and Seed Storage Godowns: Assistance is provided to establish seed processing and prefabricated or other type of seed storage godowns 150 sqm. @ Rs.10000 per sqm. to process and store 200 MT capacity for each seed village. e) Financial assistance of Rs.7.56 lakh is available for seed processing machinery and supporting equipment etc.                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|        2 | National Food Security                          | Oilseeds                                                                                                                                   | a) NFSM-OS will support purchase of breeder seed from ICAR/SAUs by the central                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |

|     | Mission(NFSM)-Oil Seeds              | (60% GOI and 40% State Share, 90:10 for Hill& NE Region)         | Agencies @100% cost fixed by Seed Division. b) For production of foundation seeds/certified seeds, Rs. 2500/quintal for all varieties/hybrids released during last 10 years and Additional assistance of Rs.100/qtl on the varieties/hybrids released in last 5 years. 75% of subsidy amount is meant for farmers and 25% for seed producing agencies for meeting expenditures towards certification & production etc. (60:40/90:10) c) For distribution of certified seeds,50% of the cost limited to Rs.4000/quintal for varieties/composites of all oilseeds except sesame which are not older than 15 years.(60:40/90:10). For Hybrids, Assistance for distribution of certified hybrids seeds @ 50% of the cost with a ceiling of Rs.8000/qtls of hybrids and sesame varieties, which are not older than 15 years. d) For distribution of Minikit, Allocation will be made @1minikit for every 25 ha area each crop @100% cost reimbursement.   |
|-----|--------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 3.. | National Food Security Mission(NFSM) | Rice                                                             | e) Rs.10000/- per quintal or 50% of seeds cost whichever is less for certified hybrid rice seed distribution. f) Rs.20/- per kg. or 50% of the cost, whichever is less for high yielding varieties certified seed distribution for less than 10 years old varieties. g) Rs.10/- per kg. or 50% of the cost, whichever is less for high yielding varieties certified seed distribution for more than 10 years old varieties limited to 20% of portal seed distribution target.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| 3.. | National Food Security Mission(NFSM) | Wheat                                                            | a) Rs.20/- per kg. or 50% of the cost, whichever is less for certified seed distribution for less than 10 years old varieties. b) Rs.10/- per kg. or 50% of the cost, whichever is less for high yielding varieties certified seed distribution for more than 10 years old varieties limited to 20% of portal seed distribution target.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| 3.. | National Food Security Mission(NFSM) | Pulses (Assistance for Production & Distribution of Pulses Seed) | a) Rs.5000/- per quintal or 50% of cost whichever is less for seeds distribution for less than 10 years old varieties. b) Rs.2500/- per quintal or 50% of cost whichever is less for certified seeds distribution for more than 10 years old varieties limited to 20% total seed distribution target. c) Rs.5000/- per quintal of certified seed production of pulses within 10 years old varieties.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| 3.. | National Food Security Mission(NFSM) | Coarse Cereals (HYVs seed)                                       | a) HYVs Rs.3000/- per quintal or 50% of cost whichever is less for HYVs certified seeds distribution for less than 10 years old varieties b) HYVs Rs.1500/- per quintal or 50% of cost whichever is less for HYVs certified seeds distribution for more than 10 years old varieties.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |

|    |                                     | Seed Production of Nutri- Cereals (Jowar, Bajra, Ragi and other Small Millets).                            | a) Rs 3000/- per quintal for certified seed production of HYVs of nutri-cereals within 10 years old varieties. b) Rs 10,000/- per quintal for hybrid seed production of nutri-cereals within 10 years old varieties.                                                                                                                                                 |
|----|-------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|    |                                     | Hybrid Seed (Maize, Jowar&Bajra)                                                                           | a) Rs. 10,000/- per quintal or 50% of cost of seeds whichever is less for hybrid coarse cereal- Jowar &Bajra certified seeds distribution for less than 10 years old varieties.                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|    |                                     | Commercial Crops (Jute based cropping system) Seed Village Programme and Production of seed in Govt. Farms | Seed production a) Production of breeder seed @Rs.20000/qtl. b) Production of certified Seeds 50% of the cost limited to Rs.120/- per kg for foundation seed production. c) Rs.50/- per kg for certified seed production. d) Rs.5500/qtl. for certified seed produced by State Department of Agriculture, State Agricultural Universities, KVKs, SSCs, NSC and SSCA. |
|    |                                     | Commercial Crop (Sugarcane)                                                                                | a) Assistance for breeder seed production @ Rs.40000/ha. (Rs.34000 for inputs and Rs.6000 for contingency) to SAUs, ICAR and Sugarcane Research Institute (SRI) for production of tissue culture raised plantlets/seedlings @ Rs.3.5 per seedling.                                                                                                                   |
| 4. | Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna (RKVY) | All Crops                                                                                                  | All activities including Seed Infrastructure                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |