Punjab to upgrade Punseed plants

Punjab government today said it will upgrade the processing plants of state-owned Punseed to double the production of wheat seeds.
"The state government will upgrade Punseed processing plants so as to produce three lakh quintal seed as against the present capacity of 1-1.5 lakh quintals," state agriculture minister Tota Singh said here today.
He said Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana and Agriculture Department will ensure adequate and timely supply of wheat seeds to farmers during the Rabi season 2015-16.
The minister said PAU will submit a detailed report regarding the rate of the seeds and the arrangements done for its distribution by government seed agencies like Punseed, IFFCO, KRIBHCO, National Seed Corporation (NSC) and PAU the Rabi season.

Besides, PAU will print adequate literature in the form of pamphlets, leaflets etc to highlight the best practices in wheat cultivation including usage of drill machines, the most productive qualities of seed, prevention of deceases etc.
He said Agriculture department will encourage farmers to grow quality seed of high yield varieties and identify few villages to be named as 'seed villages' in the state.

The farmers desirous of sowing seeds would be given proper training and technical know-how to produce the best quality seed in the state.
Minister said that a total of 35 lakh hectares area would be sown during ensuing rabi season 2015-16 and thus 35 lakh quintal wheat seeds were required.

He said the State Agriculture Department and PAU will be fully geared up and the farmers of the state would be provided with requisite quantity of quality wheat seed well in advance before the onset of Rabi season.