Centre to create seed reserve

The Union ministry of agriculture is working towards creating sufficient seed reserves in the country, which will ensure national food security and income security for farmers at the micro level, a senior official said.

“The government is working together with the seed industry to produce high yielding, pest and disease resistant seeds to cater to the requirements of farmers across the country. In terms of emergency where will the farmer look for seeds? When there is a drought or flood the farmer needs seeds. He might lose the seeds during emergency. So, we want to create the seed reserve that will come to his use,” T Nanda Kumar, agriculture secretary, government of India said.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of the Indian Seed Congress, a two-day conference and exhibition, organised by the National Seed Association of India, here on Friday, he said the country managed this year as there was surplus seeds were available. “Our aim is to create some reserve available in terms weather stress. Each place will have different requirement. We will have to work out. This is only for foodgrains like rice, wheat and some coarse cereals,” he said.

The seed reserve will be set up in different places and made available to farmers when there is a crisis. It will be available from next year, he said.

“There is no guarantee that another climate variability in the short term may occur. May be five years down the line, we could have either deficit rainfall or excess rainfall. Both are creating problems for our agriculture. This is where the versatility of seed industry will come to use. The seed reserve will help farmer to access seeds and continue farming,” he added.

The government was thinking of coming out with seed reserves that will be sufficient for the next kharif season, Nanda Kumar said.