THE government will soon unveil its national seed policy that will set up goals, directions, actions and responsibilities and provide a level playing field for the private and public seed sectors for meeting quality seed needs of the farming community. The policy draft is now awaiting final approval.

All activities pertaining to research, seed production, distribution, processing, storage, seed certification, seed quality control, marketing, import, export, seed regulations, training and human resource development will be governed by the national seed policy.

The focus of the ‘National Seed Policy’ will be to provide highest quality of seed having genetic and physical purity of the prescribed seed standards. Only five classes of seed: pre-basic, basic, certified-I, certified -11 and approved seed would be recognised in the certified seed production programme. The seed standards currently in vogue will continue.

National seed companies, joint ventures with foreign companies and foreign seed firms bringing technology, investing in local research and seed production will be eligible to receive special incentives

An official of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research stated that raising the quality of seed is undoubtedly a highly important area of thrust for achieving efficiency and productivity.

To encourage seed production by the farmers, seed crop insurance scheme will be launched. The government recognises that the role of the public sector is necessary for open pollinated crops like wheat, cotton rice and pulses.

The public sector seed corporations will be run on commercial lines and will have complete control over their operations with no interference from the government. Their operations will not be subsidised to provide a level playing field for the private sector.

To encourage investment in crop variety development and research and to protect the interests of the plant breeders, the government would provide conducive environment under a suitable regulatory framework. This framework will facilitate the breeder to benefit financially from his investment while serving the farmers’ needs and the nation’s agriculture and food security agenda.

The government will also announce incentives to encourage private sector to invest in research and variety development, seed production and distribution.

National seed companies, joint ventures with foreign companies or foreign seed companies bringing technology, investing in local research and seed production will be eligible to receive special incentives such as: import and export tax exemptions, remittance of profits and dividends and availability of state land for 50 years lease extendable for another 49 years.

Exemption of local ‘taxes’ will be allowed for at least 10 years on investment in research and on quantities of hybrid seed produced by the private seed sector.

The amended seed law 2015 and the Plant Breeders’ Rights law would protect technologies and investments made by multinationals etc.

Public sector research results will be freely available to the private sector. A good understanding between the public and private sectors will be nurtured to identify needs for research and exchange of data and information.

Germ-plasm is the basic building block for evolving new varieties. It would be freely available for crop research programmes.

Currently, there is no research institute in the country to carry out research in seed science and industry.

To ensure timely supply of the required quantities of pre-basic seed by the public research, an agency independent of the breeders which may be called as ‘Foundation Seed Cells’ will be established at the provincial research institutes. Each cell will work under the direct control of the respective director general (research). These cells will handle production of seed of all crops for one or more research institutes and will be fully equipped to handle and store seed for a long time.

The provincial research institutes would be provided with necessary financial, infrastructure and human resource support to establish Foundation Seed Cells for various strategic crops on a sustainable basis.

To encourage local hybrid seed production, multinational seed companies will be encouraged through various incentives like duty-free import of parental lines and exemption of ‘taxes’ at least for ten years.

A pilot project may be started to support small scale farmers to boost the use of certified seed for achieving higher productivity of strategic crops.

Over 760 seed companies including five multinationals have been allowed to do seed business in the country to date.They meet about 23pc of the country’s total seed requirement.

Published in Dawn, Business & Finance weekly, June 20th, 2016