Lok Sabha Question No. 4038 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-25
Subject: Bharat Beej Brand
Ministry: COOPERATION
Asked by: Shri Lumbaram Choudhary, Shri Chandan Chauhan, Dr. Nishikant Dubey

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COOPERATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4038 TO BE ANSWERED ON  25 th  MARCH, 2025

## Bharat Beej Brand

## †4038 Shri Lumba Ram Chaudhary:

## Shri Chandan Chauhan: Dr. Nishikant Dubey:

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

- (a) the specific measures taken by the Government to ensure the timely availability of high-quality seeds under the Bharat Beej brand to farmers, especially in remote and rural areas, including Jharkhand;
- (b) the steps being taken to increase awareness about the use of quality seeds and adoption among small and marginal farmers; and
- (c)  the  manner  in  which  the  Government  will  regulate  and  monitor  private  sector participation in the seed distribution network to maintain quality and affordability?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) Ministry of Cooperation has set up Bhartiya Beej Sahkari Samiti Limited under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act, 2002. The BBSSL will undertake production, procurement & distribution of quality seeds under single brand name 'Bharat Beej' through cooperative network to improve crop yield. So far, 19,674 cooperative societies have become members of BBSSL, out of which 334 member cooperatives are from Jharkhand. BBSSL has obtained seed license from the Government of Jharkhand. The efficient logistics arrangement of BBSSL will ensure the timely availability of high-quality seeds under the Bharat Beej brand to farmers including remote and rural areas of Jharkhand.
- (b) State  Departments  of Agriculture  through  their Agricultural  extension  services  etc. organizes training sessions, workshops, and Front-Line Demonstration (FLD), Cluster Front Line Demonstration (CFLD), and other demonstration programs, farmers' training, Farmers' field schools under various schemes for increasing awareness in farmers about use of quality

seeds. Besides, BBSSL has also decided to increase awareness about the use of Bharat Beej brand quality seeds and adoption among small and marginal farmers by following methods:

- i. Awareness campaign through social media and the BBSSL website.
- ii. Organizing farmers' meets at various levels.
- iii. Conducting regional workshops, seminars, and conferences.
- iv. Showcasing demonstrations and participating in promotional events at national, state, and regional levels.
5. (c) Sufficient provisions are available under the Seeds Act, 1966, the Seed Rules, 1968 and the Seeds (Control) Order, 1983 and amendments thereon to regulate the quality of seeds sold in the market. The above-said seed legislation empowers the State Governments to check the quality of seeds and curb the sale of sub-standard/spurious seeds.

Department of Agriculture & Farmer's Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmer's Welfare allocates breeder Seeds of various crops to the State and private Seeds companies also against their breeder indents received one year in advance for the production of foundation and certified Seeds for distribution to the farmers.

Ministry  of Agriculture  &  Farmer's  Welfare,  Govt.  of  India  has  already  launched  Seed Authentication, Traceability & Holistic Inventory (SATHI) portal - Seed Traceability for effective monitoring,  efficiency  and  transparency  covering  Seed  chain  from  Nucleus-Breeder-FoundationCertified Seed on 19th April, 2023. The private agencies are also involved including Seed dealers' and distributors and whole supply chain has been planned to be tracked through the SATHI portal.

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