Lok Sabha Question No. 254 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-04
Subject: BBSSL Products
Ministry: COOPERATION
Asked by: Shri Bhartruhari Mahtab, Shri Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, Shri Mahesh Kashyap, Shri Alok Sharma, Shri Dineshbhai Makwana

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COOPERATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 254 TO BE ANSWERED ON  4 th  FEBRUARY, 2025

## BBSSL Products

## 254 Shri Dineshbhai Makwana:

Shri Bhartruhari Mahtab:

Shri Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri:

Shri Alok Sharma:

Shri Mahesh Kashyap:

Will the Minister of Cooperation ( सहकारिता मंत्री) be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  there  are  any  ongoing  or  planned  collaborations  with  agriculture  research institutions to develop high-yield, disease-resistant seed varieties;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the  manner  in  which  the  Government  plan  to  address  competition  from  private  seed companies while promoting Bhartiya Beej Sahakari Samiti Limited (BBSSL)'s product?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF COOPERATION सहकारिता मंत्री (SHRI AMIT SHAH)

(a)to  (b): Yes,  sir,  as  part  of  ongoing  and  planned  collaborations  with  agriculture  research institutions to develop high-yield, disease-resistant seed varieties, BBSSL has signed Memorandum of Agreements/Memorandum of Understandings with following leading research organizations for receiving genetically high potential good quality breeder seeds of various crops and varieties for further multiplication of Foundation and Breeder Seed:

1. ICAR-Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi:
2. Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana (PAU), Punjab
3. ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize Research (IIMR), Ludhiana, Punjab
4. ICAR-Indian Institute of Millet Research (IIMR), Hyderabad, Telangana.
5. G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand
6. Zonal Technology Management & Business Planning and Development Unit IARI, PUSA, New Delhi.

Further, BBSSL is in dialogue with following national and international research organizations, seeking  their  support  in  development  of  high-yielding,  disease-resistant,  and  trait-specific varieties/hybrids in some of the targeted crops suitable for Indian Agriculture conditions:

1. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Hyderabad
2. International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Varanasi
3. Indian Grass and Fodder Research Institute (IGFRI), Jhansi
4. Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR), Varanasi
5. Indian Institute of Pulse Research (IIPR), Kanpur
6. World Vegetable Centre, AVRDC, Thailand
7. Suwan  Farm,  (National  Corn  and  Sorghum  Research  Center),  Kasetsart  University, Thailand
8. Weerachai Seeds, officially known as WS Seeds (Thailand)

(c): In India less than 50% farmers use quality seeds and the rest of the farmers are dependent on Farm Saved Seeds (FSS). To reduce this gap of more than 50%, BBSSL envisages to carry out all activities  viz  production,  testing,  certification,  procurement,  processing,  storage,  branding, labelling  and  packaging  of  two  generations  of  seeds  i.e.,  foundation  and  certified  through  the network  of  the  cooperatives.  The  breeder  seeds  will  be  sourced  from  Public  Sector  Research Organizations and International Research Institutes i.e., ICRISAT, IRRI, CIMMYT etc. To realize its objective, BBSSL will leverage various schemes and policies of different Ministries/Departments of the Government of India in a focused manner through 'Whole of the Government Approach' . As such, BBSSL will focus on timely availability of authentic quality seeds  to  the  farmers  in  brand  name  'Bharat  Beej'  through  all  available  marketing  channels including private.

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