SEED INDUSTRY IN INDIA

Seed industry era's

Pre independence post independence

 FUNCTIONS OF SEED INDUSTRY & ITS
ASSOCIATED AGENCIES
S.NO FUNCTION
1 Research(central, regional,
state, co-ordinated)
2 Variety release
3 Foundation seed
production
4 Seed production&
distribution
5 Seed certification
6 Seed regulation
7 Extension
8 Credit facility
AGENCY
Government or private
SVRC, CVRC(for public breeding research
operations)
Foundation seed stock agency(private
producers have their own hybridization
programmes)
Private producers marketing seed to
cultivars
Recognized agencies to undertake seed
certification
District, province& central departments of
agriculture
State govt., agril universities, private seed
companies,community development
Banks & co-operatives
 Seed industry before
independence
 In 1905 five agriculture colleges (Sabour, Lyallpur, Pune,
Kanpur, Coimbatore) took up the task of agriculture
research and developed the strains of Cotton , Wheat,
Groundnut and Sugarcane.
 State department of Agriculture took up the task of
distribution of seeds of improved strains by two methods
Ist method- Multiplication & distribution
IInd method- Distribution of small quantity of seed
( in Bengal by distributing packets of jute & paddy
seeds)
 In U.P. - responsibility of replacing old varieties was placed
on state department of agriculture.
 Several seed multiplication laboratories was established
and also multiplied on land lord farms.
 In 1922 on United province (UP) establish seed store in
each Tehsil.
 Suggestion of Royal Commission

 Separate organisation to deal with seed distribution

and seed testing.
 It should be self sustaining.
 It should be organized by cooperatives, other
associations, Seed merchants , seed agents and others.
 Seed merchants of proven enterprise should be given
encouragement.
GOI execution of Royal commission suggestions

Establishment of crop research institutes of different

crops on different states.

Improved strains of paddy, wheat ,sugarcane cotton,

jute etc are developed.

Strains were however developed but seed multiplication

and seed distribution work did not took pace.
SEED INDUSTRY STATUS ON PRE
INDEPENDENCE ERA:

 Seed was multiplied on seed farms of registered seed

growers.
 Upto 1939 vegetable seeds were brought from abroad.
 By the year 1945 Pvt. vegetable seed companies
produced seeds in Quetta and Kashmir valley for
temperate vegetable.
All India seed growers, Merchants and nursery men
association in 1946.
Seed industry after independence
First five year plan (1951-56):
 Grow More Food Enquiry Committee 1952 reported that
seed impurity was the main cause of program failure.
 Schemes of seed multiplication & distribution came into
existence.
 Seed programmes were confined to seed distribution with
subsidy.
 Second five year plan(1956-61)

 First AICRP by ICAR in collaboration with Rockfeller

foundation on maize was launched on yr.1957
 1961- Four maize hybrids released.
 1960- AICRP on Sorghum & Bajra launched.
 Ist sorghum & bajra hybrids in 1964 & 1965 respectively.
 Setting of 4328 farms of 10 hectare each for the
multiplication of nucleus seeds at the block level.
SEED MULTIPLICATION TEAM REVIEW(1969)

Maintenance of
Seed Multiplication Seed Distribution
quality
• For millets , oil • Disadvantage in • Purity &
seeds& pulses the coverage of germination
• Production of improved varities • Precautions
breeder seed was during harvesting,
• Planning of • Poor distribution drying& storage
multiplication& of registered seed • Importance of
distribution over a seed treatment
period of 5 yrs. • Certification of
seed potatoes
• Supply of disease
free sugarcane
 THIRD FIVE YEAR PLAN(1961-66)

 HYVP 1966 - for Maize, Bajra, Paddy and Wheat.

 NSC in 1963 by Agriculture ministry with the following
objectives:
1.Establishment of foundation and certified seed
corporation.
2.To encourage and assist production and marketing of
seeds, seed certification programme and seed law
enforcement.
3.Impart training on seed programme .
 ANNUAL PLANS(1966-69)
 Enactment and Enforcement of seed act 1966
 Review of seed status by Seed Review Team 1968.
RECOMMENDATION OF SEED REVIEW TEAM.
1968
 Registration of Varieties
 Elimination of doubtful varieties
 Avoidance of pre release publicity
 SAU role for foundation seed production
 Involvement of cooperative and private sector for seed
production
 FOURTH FIVE YEAR PLAN(1969-74)

 ISST was established in 1971

 Establishment of Tarai Development Corporation
limited 1969 (TDC) with the assistance of world bank
 TDC- ideal organization for corporation for other
states and in developing countries
 TDC - renamed as U.P. Seeds and Tarai
development corporation on 1st july 1978
TARAI DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
1. To provide technical guidance & supervision to seed
growers
a. Maintenance of nucleus& breeder seed
b. Foundation seed production
c. Certified seed production in large scale
2. Integrated development approach
3. Participation of seed growers as shareholders
4. Strictest quality control
5. Money-back guarantee
 FIFTH FIVE YEAR PLAN(1974-79)
 NCA(1971)-To maintain purity of HYVs of seeds
FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS OF 1976:
 Encouragement to small participants
 Institution of promotional measures on
a. Varietal registration
b. Seed insurance
c. Tax benefits
d. Seed processing & storage
e. Seed research, seed law enforcement,seed certification
f. Grow out tests
 NATIONAL SEED PROGRAMME

NSP

Reco. of seed review Reco. of NCA report

Team(1968) 1971, 1976
 National Seed Programme (NSP)

 National Seed Programme (NSP) was launched with the

collaboration of world bank
 NSP Phase I was launched in - Punjab, Haryana,
Maharastra and Andhra Pradesh
 NSP Phase II was launched in - Karnataka, Rajasthan,
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Orissa
 SIXTH FIVE YEAR PLAN(1980-85)

 Seed control order 1983 declared that seed as an

essential commodity under Essential Commodity Act
1955
 Money sanctioned for NSP- phase I&II was not utilized
 SEVENTH FIVE YEAR PLAN(1980-85)
 Strengthening of infra structure, facilities for seed production
both in public and private sectors.
 NSP Phase III - Assam, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh &
Gujarat
 Introduction of New Seed Development Policy (1988 – 1989)
EIGHTH FIVE YEAR PLAN(1992-1997)
 it mainly concerned on hybrid seed production of rice
And other crops
 ROLE OF PUBLIC& PRIVATE SEED SECTOR
 No. of companies engaged in seed production is around
400 or 500
 private seed companies focus on the high value low
volume seeds viz. maize , sunflower and cotton
 However, in the case of vegetable seeds and planting
materials , the private sector is dominant
 Public sector focus on for low value high volume
seeds viz. cereals, pulses and oilseeds
 INDIAN SEED SUPPLY SYSTEM

 The seed supply involves several stages of distribution

before reaching the farmer.
 There are 2 types of seed supply sectors which involve
supplying seed to the farmer
they are :
1.Informal sector
2.Formal sector
 Seed Supply
Systems

Formal seed Informal seed

sector sector

Private seed companies Farmer

Public Ltd.seed co.
NGOs
Seed corporations
KVKs
Research institutes
Govt. department Social organizations
 Seed
Industry

Organized Unorganized
Sectors Sectors

Public sector Cooperative

Private Sector Local traders
Sector
NSC National &
IFFCO, KRIBHCO, & local seed
SFCI Multinational
SSC ,ICAR, SAUs companies State co-operative producers
societies
 Informal :Own saved
seed, borrowed, local
markets
Food – Feed crops
Formal : Pvt. Seed
sector, Govt. agency,
Seed systems seed corporations

Formal : co-operative
Forage crops milk society
Govt. department
Informal sector :

 This systems are traditionally operate at community level

through exchange and involve limited quantities.
 They include :
1. farm saved seed
2. farmer to farmer to exchange
3.community groups
4.NGOs
 Low quality seed
 Lower price advantage
 Government is not involved
 Non governmental organisations
 Involved in providing technical knowledge, educating the
farmers
 Provide financial assistance to the farmers
 There are number of NGO’s which are supplying seeds
mainly in A.P & M.P
 The breeder and foundation seeds are available to NGO’s
through SAU’s and state seed corporation.
 Co-operative
sector

IFFCO(Indian
KRIBHCO(Krish
Farmers
ak Bharati Co-
Fertilizers Co-
operative)
operatives)

Started in 1967-with 57 member co-operatives

Started in 1980
Manufacturing& marketing of fertilizers
Manufactures fertilizers,
Biggest in world -35000 member s reaching- mainly urea
50m farmers; HQ at New Delhi.
 Formal sector
 This is the organised sector involve proper sequential
generations like
 Nucleus seed produced by breeder as per the requirement.
 Breeder seed produced from nucleus seed by breeder and
multiplied by SAU’s
 It consists of :
1.National government agencies
2.State government agencies
3.Government assisted and other cooperatives
4.Multinational companies
 Public sector
 It was having 4000 seed farms by the end of second five
year plan
 It comprises of
1. ICAR
2.SAU’s
3.National seed corporation
4.state seed corporations
5.State farms corporation of india
limited
The ICAR &SAU’s:
 Maintance of nuclear seed
 Production of breeder seed from nuclear seed
 Indent for breeder seed placed by the state government
to the department of agriculture and
cooperation(DAC),GOI that passes it on to ICAR and
SAU’s for production which is allocated by the DAC to
the indenter who uses it for production of foundation
seed.
 NATIONAL SEED CORPORATION
 It was first established in 1963 and financed by rockfellar
foundation and USAID.
 13 state seed corporations are established under national
seed corporations which are funded by world bank
objectives:
 It operates functions like training, quality control, &
extension.
 To produce and supply foundation seed of various crops
 Objectives of NSC
 The seed farms at nandikottukur(AP),and Bangalore -
breeder and foundation seeds
 Seed farm Sainji(H.P) - foundation seed of temperate
vegetables
 Maintain seed stocks of improved varieties
 Inter state marketing of all classes of seed
 Provide training facilities to the persons in seed industry
 Provides certification services to states lacking
certification agencies
 STATE SEED CORPORATION

 State seed corporations- established in 1967&1968

 Objective- production, supply and marketing of certified
seed in the state
 It is established due to impact of Tarai Development
Corporation
 Maharashtra -Seed corporation undertook breeder seed
production of soyabean
 RAJFED(rajasthan)MARKFED(A.P)- production and
supply of oilseed and pulse seeds
 States farm corporation of india

SFCI(State Farm Corporation of India):

 SFCI was established in 1969,with 12 farms in 8 states of
different agro climatic regions
objectives:
 It Produces the foundation seed
 It produces breeder ,certified, foundation seed of about 45
to 50 crops having 400 to 500 varieties.
 Produces hybrid seeds by producing parental lines.
 Produces the hybrid seeds of cotton, bajra ,sunflower,
recently paddy.
 APSSDC
 It was established in march 1976.
 It was formed by growers but maintained by state officials
OBJECTIVES:
1.breeder seed production of oilseeds
2.seed production of pre-released and non notified
varies
3.seed processing, packaging , storage, seed
marketing and distribution
4.Maintaing buffer stock
VARIETY RELEASE COMMITTEE:
The proposal of releasing a new variety By concerned
scientist will be discussed by director of research and
scientists and it will be forwarded to a comittee Known as
variety release committee.
There are two levels of variety release committee:
 central variety release committee
 State variety release committe
CENTRAL VARIETY RELEASE COMMITTEE:
 It consists of
1.Deputy Director General (Crop Science) – Chairman
2.Members are
 production director

 principle investigator

 Director of agriculture in state

 Minister of agriculte(GOI)

 Deputy secretary of seed

 Director of HYV ‘s
STATE VARIETY RELEASE COMMITTEE:
 It consists of
1.Director of agriculture as chairman
2.Members are
 Director of state seed development carporation
 Director of state seed Certification agency
 Additional director of agriculture
 joint director of agriculture
 Director of research, state agricultural university
 SEED CERTIFICATION
 Seed certification is a quality assurance system
whereby seed intended for marketing is subject to
official control and inspection.
 objective of seed certification is to supply high quality
seed to farmers and other growers, which is true to
identity, high in purity and germination capacity and
free from certain pests and diseases.

 In Andhra Pradesh it was came into force as APPSC in

1979.
 Functions of Seed Certification Agency :
1. To certify seeds of any notified variety.
2. Verify the eligibility of the variety for certification.
3. Maintains a list registered plant breeders.
4. To conduct field inspection at different stages of crop
growth to verify the field standards.
5. Grant of certificate, labels and tags
 PRIVATE SECTOR
 National & Multinational seed companies comes
under this sector
 Currently dominated companies are
1. Bayer Crop Sciences
2. Syngenta
 BAYER CROP SCIENCES
 Also known as Bayer USA, main office is at New Jersey
 40 subsidiary companies in 19 different states
 Focus on innovative crop solutions-14th largest independent
biotech company
 Availability of toll free helpline for farmers-1800-200-6321
Eg: chilli variety-Indu was launched in 2017 in A.P &
telangana-resistant to chilli leaf curl virus
 SYNGENTA
 Syngenta is a globally company produces agrochemicals &
seeds
 Conducts genomic research
 HQ-at Switzerland, founded in 2000
 Only company to offer complete & high-end solutions for
farmers from seeds to grain
Eg: Hybrid seeds, Genetically engineered seeds
 Seed industry in india

 India biggest seed market (5000 crores)

 Vegetable seed sector employment to 7 lakh individuals.
 Highest seed market is of cotton.
 15 state seed corporations.
 500 seed companies.
 Total seed industry is worth about 75000 to 85000 crores
 Seed industry in india
 Cereal industry is worth 6000 crores
 About 1/3 is contributed by cotton worth 2000 crores
 Rice contribute about 1000 crores
 Millet hybrids contributes 500 crores
 Corn contributes 800 crores
 Vegetable seed industry contributes 1500 crores
 POSSIBLE QUESTIONS
1. Write about the functions of seed indutry
2. Suggestions by Royal commission
3. Write about golden period of revolution in
agriculture
4. Write about seed multiplication team review(1961)
5. Write about tarai development corporation
6. Write about national commission on agriculture
7. Role of public & private sector in seed industry
8. Classification of seed supply systems
9. Write about organized & unorganized sectors
 REFERENCES
 Seed technology by Rattan Lal Agarwal
 Text of seed science & technology by G.V.
Basavaraju, P. Ravishankar, Sarika Gowdiperu
 Seed science & technology by N.C.Singhal
 http://www.iffco.com