Madhya Pradesh tries to address soya seed shortage

This year, soya acreage in Madhya Pradesh is estimated to be around 6.6 million hectares

Madhya Pradesh, the sole soya seed supplier across the country, is struggling to meet the demand this kharif season. Authorities have admitted the shortage of seeds is alarming, adding the only way to address this was motivating farmers to increase the acreage of other kharif crops. Authorities say this season, 80 per cent of the total seed production has been damaged.

Madhya Pradesh grows 2.5 million quintals of soya bean seeds. Of this, 1.5 million quintals are used in this state. However, this time, heavy rains have hit seed production. The state government is trying to hold meetings with private seed suppliers and control illegal stocking, as well as the sale of fake seeds. “We need at least 1.5 million quintals of seed for Madhya Pradesh alone; the demand from other states such as Maharashtra and Karnataka isn’t less than a million quintals. This year, heavy rains have triggered a shortage of seeds in the market. We have a few options — either we motivate farmers to opt for other kharif crops such as maize and paddy, or reduce the seed-sowing quantity, which is higher than the required quantity,” Rajesh Rajora, principal secretary, farmers’ welfare and agriculture development department, Madhya Pradesh, told Business Standard. “Import is not an option,” he added. For the soya crop, the seed-sowing rate is about 75 kg a hectare. The farmers welfare and agriculture development department feels if farmers cut seed-sowing to about 50 kg a hectare, the country’s demand for seeds will be met.

“In Madhya Pradesh, we will also introduce castor seed and guar crop this year. The farmers will not only get higher prices, but also record a change in the crop pattern,” Rajora said. This year, soya acreage in MP is estimated at 6.6 million hectares. “The chain has been disturbed due to inclement weather. We have secured permission to grow 7,500 qtls of breeder seed from 750 kg of nuclear seed, which we have in stock at our agri universities. We will also grow 75,000 quintals of foundation seeds from the 7,500 qtl breeder seed and, later, 750,000 certified seed from the foundation seed,” Rajora said, adding, “It will be ready by the 2015 kharif season.”

This programme “only takes place in state-owned farms or farms allowed to grow certified seeds”, Rajora said.