The Government of India has announced the regulation of seed quality for specific crop varieties. This notification aims to ensure the availability of high-quality seeds for farmers across the country. The notification was published on March 27, 2024 and is issued under the Seeds Act, 1966.
Key Points of the Notification:
- The notification applies to specific varieties of crops
- These crops include:
- rice, wheat, maize, sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet, kodomillet, foxtail millet, barnyard millet,
- soybean, indian mustard, groundnut, sunflower, sesame, niger, linseed, castor,
- chickpea, lentil, mungbean, urdbean, moth bean, cluster bean, fieldpea, pigeonpea, cowpea,
- lathyrus, Forage Sorghum Hybrid, Forage pearl millet, Forage Sorghum, Berseem, oat, sugarcane, jute, Mesta (kenaf) and cotton.
- These varieties are now designated as “notified varieties” for seed production and sale throughout India.
- The notification paves the way for these seeds to be sold for agricultural purposes
- It prescribes the type of crops and their varieties or hybrids that can be sold to specific Indian states and union territories.
Benefits of Notification of Varieties:
- Farmers will have access to a wider range of high-quality, regulated seeds.
- This will improve agricultural productivity and overall crop yields.
- It will promote standardization and quality control in the seed industry.