Seed Production of Vegetable, Tuber and Spice Crops (2+1)

Recent developments in Indian Seed Industry

• In the growth of seed industry, during 1963 NSC/SFCI was established with the objective of producing foundation and certified seeds. Later on TDC (1969), SSC (1980) and STR (1979) were established. Now 21 STR centres 36 BSP centres and 24 crop based BSP centres on specialized crops. Uniform pricing of breeder seed was adopted in the country. The pricing of foundation and certified seeds is being done through central/state pricing committees; pricing of seed produced by private sector is highly variable. To encourage private seed sector and also to enhance seed developmental programmes in the country, Govt. of India introduced NSPD programme with the objective to import quality seeds time bond programme to strengthen the Indian seed industry effective observance of procedures for quarantine/post quarantine and several incentives to domestic seed industry.
  
• India is the leading country in the world with respect to development of hybrid technology. This has resulted in the development of hybrids in bajra, jowar, maize, castor, sunflower, cotton, pigeon pea, rice, safflower and several vegetable crops. Public sector organization are mostly concentrating on self pollinated crop varieties and hybrids in few crops resulted in the dependency of farmers on the private sector seed in case of low volume crops and hybrids in field and vegetable crops.
  
• As per the investment in the biotechnology in concerned our public and private sector agencies could not cope up with developed countries. At present the share of public is around 40% and private sector is 60%. However efficient marketing of seeds may be possible by sale promotion in India and abroad by public sector agencies.
  The private seed sector agencies have an important role in growing seed industry by establishing independent investments in research and development. Infrastructure development for seed production, storage and conditioning, upgrading of quality assurance system, competitive/ complementary role in the development of seed industry. Strengthening of R&D activities can be possible by increasing the research sources in public sector, investment in varietal development in private sector, contract research services by private sector using the resources by public sector, private and public sector should be mutually supportive, removal of all restrictions by central/states for acquisition of land/use. On today 25 private seed companies have research and development base in India.
  
• The introduction of new varieties in the seed markets, the present system is unsatisfactory, time consuming and biased, responsible for stopping/delaying/not making superior hybrid seeds to the farmers. The new system, the GOI is going to adopt is based on the establishment of National Register or varieties / hybrids, registration based on DUS system. This system should be implemented by independent body under Seed Act 1966 and will be helpful to increase the production and availability of quality seed.