Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare addresses concerns raised in Lok Sabha regarding high seed prices and promotion of indigenous seeds. The government outlines initiatives to provide affordable, quality seeds, support indigenous varieties, and regulate seed quality and pricing. There are no specific deadlines or action items mentioned in the document.
Key Points / Main Content:
Government Initiatives for Affordable Seeds:
* The government strengthens Research and Development (R&D) and seed production through the public sector.
* Seed-related infrastructure is strengthened, and legal/regulatory mechanisms are created.
* 3,053 improved seed varieties (including hybrids) have been released and notified in the last ten years through ICAR, AICRPs, SAUs, CAUs, and other institutions.
* Seed production and supply are facilitated through national and state-level corporations, cooperatives, and agencies, including NAFED and HIL.
Financial Assistance and Scheme Support:
* Financial assistance is provided for subsidized or free seeds (including hybrids) under schemes like NFSNM, NMEO-Oilseeds, and RKVY.
* Interventions like Seed Hubs, variety fostering, seed infrastructure, National Seed Reserve, demonstrations, farmer training, and Strategic Adaptive Research Support are extended.
Legal and Regulatory Framework:
* The Seeds Act, 1966, Seed Rules, 1968, and Seeds Control Order, 1983, ensure seed quality.
* The Cotton Seeds Price Control Order, 2015, regulates the maximum sale price of cotton seeds.
Promotion of Indigenous Seeds:
* There is no current proposal to establish exclusive district/division-level seed banks for indigenous seeds.
* The NFSNM component "Boosting Seed Production of Traditional Varieties" provides assistance for seed distribution, incentives, capacity building, and seed bank establishment.
* States promote indigenous varieties through their own schemes.
* 2,347 out of the 3,053 released varieties/hybrids can be reused by farmers, reducing reliance on hybrid seeds.
Impact Analysis:
Farmers:
* Impact: Farmers are intended to benefit from access to affordable, quality seeds, including high-yielding conventional, indigenous, and local varieties. Reduced dependence on expensive hybrid seeds is also a goal.
* Action Required: Farmers should utilize available schemes and resources to access subsidized seeds, participate in training programs, and adopt new, improved seed varieties.
Seed Manufacturing Companies:
* Impact: Seed companies, particularly those involved in hybrid seed production, may experience some pressure on pricing due to government interventions and promotion of reusable varieties.
* Action Required: Seed companies may need to adapt their pricing strategies and focus on quality and innovation to remain competitive.
National and State Level Seed Corporations, Cooperatives and Agencies (Including NAFED and HIL):
* Impact: These agencies play a crucial role in seed production and distribution, and the government aims to strengthen them to ensure timely availability of affordable seeds to farmers.
* Action Required: These entities need to enhance their seed production and distribution capacities, align with government schemes, and ensure the quality of seeds they supply.
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), All India Coordinated Research Projects (AICRPs), State Agricultural Universities (SAUs), Central Agricultural Universities (CAUs) and Other Institutions:
* Impact: play a crucial role in developing new and improved seed varieties.
* Action Required: Continue Research and Development, to ensure new and improved variety of seeds become available to farmers
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare: A department of the Government of India responsible for agriculture and farmers' welfare.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where the question regarding seed prices was raised.
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR): An autonomous organisation under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India.
National Food Security and Nutrition Mission (NFSNM): A scheme by the Government of India to increase the production of rice, wheat and pulses on a sustainable basis.
National Mission on Edible OilsOilseeds (NMEOOilseeds): A scheme by the Government of India to increase the production of edible oils and oilseeds.
Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY): An agriculture development scheme, initiated in 2007, aims at achieving 4% annual growth in the agriculture sector.
Seeds Act, 1966: An act of the Parliament of India to regulate the quality of seeds sold, and for matters connected therewith.
Cotton Seeds Price Control Order, 2015: An order by the Government of India to regulate the maximum sale price of cotton seeds.
O.I.H.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3818
TO BE ANSWERED ON 12TH AUGUST, 2025
PRICE OF SEEDS
3818. DR. ANAND KUMAR:
Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ(cid:874)ष और (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण मं(cid:287)ी
be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government is aware of the high cost of farming due to excessive
increase inthe price of seeds by seed manufacturing companies in the market due to
increased demand of hybrid seeds by farmers during sowing of crops;
(b) whether the Government has any scheme/plan to promote high yielding conventional
indigenous/local seeds like paddy, wheat, millet etc. if so, the details thereof; and
(c) whether the Government is considering to set up seed banks at district/division level
forsuch indigenous seeds so that farmers' dependence on hybrid seeds and the price of
hybridseeds in the market can be reduced, if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
कृ(cid:874)ष एवं (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण रा(cid:207)य म(cid:287)ं ी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)
(a) & (b): Yes, Sir. In order to provide farmers access to quality seeds at affordable prices,
several initiatives have been undertaken by the government including strengthening R&D &
production of seed through public sector; strengthening seed related infrastructure and
creating legal framework and regulatory mechanism.
To ensure new and improved variety of seeds become available to farmers, the
government through Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), All India Coordinated
Research Projects (AICRPs), State Agricultural Universities (SAUs), Central Agricultural
Universities (CAUs) and other institutions, has released and notified 3,053 improved
varieties of seeds, including hybrids, during the last ten years. Further, to ensure these
seeds are produced and become available to farmer on time at affordable price, produceand supply seeds to farmers through national and state level seed corporations,
cooperatives and agencies. Even these agencies have been strengthened and new
agencies like National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) and
Hindustan Insecticides Ltd. (HIL) have also been involved in the seed production.
Besides, to ensure that the new varieties are adopted by farmers financial assistance
is provided for making these seeds available to farmers, including hybrids, at subsidised
rates or free of cost under schemes such as the National Food Security and Nutrition
Mission (NFSNM), National Mission on Edible Oils–Oilseeds (NMEO–Oilseeds) and
RashtriyaKrishiVikasYojana (RKVY) etc. Additionally, interventions like establishment of
Seed Hubs, fostering of new varieties, creation of seed infrastructure, maintenance of the
National Seed Reserve, demonstrations, farmer training and Strategic Adaptive Research
Support are also extended under various schemes to promote high-yielding conventional as
well as indigenous and local seeds to farmers, thereby reducing cost of cultivation.
Through the Seeds Act, 1966, the Seed Rules, 1968 and the Seeds (Control) Order,
1983, government has also created effective legal ecosystem to ensure quality of seeds
become available to farmers by curbing unethical practices. Further under the Cotton Seeds
Price (Control) Order, 2015, the maximum sale price of cotton seeds is also regulated by
the Government of India.
(c): At present, there is no proposal to set up seed banks at district/division level
exclusively for indigenous seeds. However, under the NFSNM component “Boosting Seed
Production of Traditional Varieties”, assistance is provided for seed distribution,
incentives for seed production, capacity building of farmers and establishment of seed
banks. States are also promoting indigenous and traditional varieties through their own
schemes and missions. Out of 3,053 varieties/hybrids released in the last ten years, 2,347
are varieties that can be reused by farmers in subsequent seasons, thereby reducing
dependence on hybrid seeds.
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