Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, inaugurated the advanced vegetable and flower seed processing and packaging plant of the National Seeds Corporation (NSC) at Pusa Complex, New Delhi. On this occasion, he also virtually inaugurated five more NSC seed processing units located at Bareilly, Dharwad, Hassan, Suratgarh, and Raichur.
During the event, Shri Chouhan launched the ‘Seed Management 2.0’ system and an online seed booking platform for farmers. Through this digital platform, farmers will now be able to book their seed requirements online, ensuring greater transparency and easy accessibility. He emphasized that high-quality seeds must reach small and marginal farmers, as they are the most critical component in enhancing agricultural productivity.
The newly inaugurated vegetable seed processing plant at Beej Bhawan, Pusa, has a processing capacity of 1 tonne per hour, while each of the other five plants has a capacity of 4 tonnes per hour. Equipped with cutting-edge technology, these facilities will ensure the availability of superior quality seeds to farmers across the country and strengthen seed production standards.
Shri Chouhan stated that these new facilities will make high-quality seeds easily accessible to farmers and will significantly boost agricultural productivity. He mentioned that during the recently held ‘Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan’, the majority of farmer complaints were related to spurious and substandard seeds. Hence, ensuring the availability of genuine and high-quality seeds is essential, and NSC has a crucial role in this effort.
Highlighting NSC’s mission, he said,:
“The role of NSC is not just to earn a livelihood, but to fill the nation’s grain reserves. Quality seeds empower farmers and ensure the nation’s food security.”
Focus on Local Language Innovation and Reforms
Shri Chouhan urged the NSC to innovate in regional languages to make its services more accessible to farmers and to curb the arbitrary practices of private seed companies. He stated,
“Private players have their role, but public institutions hold unique importance. There is also a need to improve the functioning of State Seed Development Corporations. Considering all these aspects, NSC must move ahead with a clear and result-oriented roadmap.” This initiative marks a major milestone towards self-reliance in agriculture, ensuring that farmers across India have access to reliable, high-quality seeds through modern technology and digital innovation.
