Lok Sabha Question No. 207 (STARRED), answered on 2021-08-03
Subject: Seed Market
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Rajkumar Chahar

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

## LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 207

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  3 rd  AUGUST, 2021

## SEED MARKET

## †*207.    SHRI RAJ KUMAR CHAHAR:

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

- (a) whether  the  farmers  in  the  country  are  unable  to  reap  financial  benefits  from  the country's seed market despite the country emerging as the fifth largest seed market in the world;
- (b) if so, the efforts being made by the Government in this regard;
- (c) whether the Government proposes to reduce the increase in the cost of procurement of seeds for every crop cycle and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether  there  is  also  shortage  of  certified  and  quality  seeds  and  if  so,  the  details thereof; and
- (e) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to address these issues?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी

(SHRI NARENDRA  SINGH TOMAR)

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

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF  LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 207   DUE FOR REPLY ON 3 rd  AUGUST, 2021.

(a): No Sir, Indian seed market is one of the biggest seed markets of the world. The total seed export from India is approx. Rs. 1000 crores, through which farmers are also reaping financial benefits.

(b): Question does not arise.

- (c): Indian  Council of  Agricultural  Research  (ICAR)and  State Agricultural  Universities (SAUs) has developed several new varieties for the farmers in last five years, which are high  yielding,  biotic/a-biotic  stress  tolerant,  disease/insect  resistant  and  bio-fortified varieties.  Government  of  India  through  its  various  schemes viz. Sub-Mission on Seeds and Planting Materials (SMSP), National Food Security Mission (NFSM), Bringing Green Revolution  to  Eastern  India  (BGREI)  &  Rashtriya  Krishi  Vikas  Yojana  (RKVY)  provides financial  assistance  to  farmers  on  seed  distribution,  seed  production,  farmers  training, seed  treating  drums,  seed  storage  bins  and  demonstration  of  high  yielding  varieties developed  by  Indian  Council  of  Agricultural  Research  (ICAR)  and  State  Agricultural Universities (SAUs).

(d) & (e): There  is  sufficient  quantity  of  seed  available  in  the  country  against  the requirement. The Government of India is allocating approx. 70-75 thousand quintals of Breeder  Seed  of  high  yielding  varieties  every  year.  The  total  requirement  of  seed  by States/UTs in Rabi 2020-21 was 292.63 lakh quintals against which 329.96 lakh quintals was available. Similarly, for  Kharif-2021  the total  requirement  of  seed  was  154.50  lakh quintals against which 165.06 lakh quintals was available.

Government  of  India  coordinates  with  the  states  in  meeting  the  All-India  Seed Requirement and Availability through the  mechanism of 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 Dynamic Seed Rolling Plan to ensure that there is no scarcity of seed in future also.

National Seed Corporation Limited is an autonomous organization of Government of India that undertakes production and marketing of seeds and is supplying 14-15 lakh quintals of certified and quality seed to the farmers annually in cereals, pulses, oilseeds and other crops.

Government has started 150 seed hubs in Pulses, 35 in Oilseeds and 24 in Nutricereals across the country to supply good quality seed of these crops to framers.

Under the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act (PPV&FR), 2001 farmers  are  entitled  to  register  their  varieties.  The  farmers  that  are  engaged  in  the conservation  of  genetic  resources  of  land  races,  wild  relatives  of  economic  plants  and their  improvement  through  selection  and  preservation  are  entitled  for  reward  and recognition from the Gene Fund of the Authority.

There  are  25  Seed  Certification  Agencies  working  in  different  States  to  monitor certified seed production of approx. 250-260 lakh quintals every year.

*******