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Quality seed is considered to be the basic
input for increasing agricultural output
and thereby achieving self-sufficiency in
food production. Effectiveness of other
inputs like fertilizer and irrigation depends
largely on good seed. But use of improved
seed is still very limited. Two major reasons
behind this fact are:
- Production and distribution of quality
seed is insufficient in the public sector
as compared to its demand;
- Seed production in the private sector
has not yet got the necessary support.
Development of facilities in public and
private sectors for production of sufficient
quantity of improved seed and for making
them available to the farmers at appropriate
time and at reasonable price has been suffering
from lack of definite policy directives.
At the same time potentiality of technical
assistance could not be explored due to
absence of a clear Govt. policy in this
field. With a view to overcoming this critical
situation the MOA has formulated a National
Seed Policy for the country.
A committee, formed by the MOA, reviewed
the seed policies of a number of neighbouring
countries and drafted a National Seed Policy
drawing lessons and inputs from the experiences
of countries having similar agro-ecological
and socio-economic settings.
National Seed Policy provides for policy
directives to increase production of improved
seed both in the public and private sectors
and for making best quality seeds available
to the farmers on timely basis, and at competitive
price. The seed policy has also provisions,
among other things, for liberalisation of
import of seed and seed processing machineries,
strengthening of quality control and research
system and maintaining a seed security arrangement.
A major thrust of the seed policy has been
on the institutional arrangement of the
seed sector.
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