AP for regulation of seed prices, royalty provision

The Andhra Pradesh government on Monday reiterated its demand for incorporating provisions for regulation of seed prices and also royalty in the Central Seed Bill, which is likely to be passed in Parliament in the current monsoon session.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, state agriculture minister N Raghuveera Reddy said regulation of sale price was essential in view of international players entering the Indian seed market. There would be a provision in the proposed Seed Act for imprisonment of six months to one year for dealers selling defective seed.

The minister said he was in favour of multi-location trials conducted by new seed companies under the supervision of the Indian Council of Agriculture Research and respective agricultural universities. “The state is not against new technology or varieties. The companies should not collect more than 20 per cent royalty for the first three years, five per cent in the subsequent three years and no royalty thereafter,” he added.

In this regard, Reddy has written to agriculture ministers of all states seeking support. He would meet Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar in New Delhi on July 28.

Chief minister K Rosaiah had previously written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asking him to allow the states the discretion to decide the compensation payable to farmers when the seed is defective. AP is a major supplier of paddy, maize, sorghum, pulses, oilseeds and cotton seeds to other states.