Sufficient stock of certified / quality seed is available to meet the requirement in the ensuing Rabi (winter) cropping season. As against the projected requirement of 60.85 lakh quintal, 76.38 lakh quintal certified / quality seed is available with various seed producers and stores.
The Agriculture Ministry had, in the last month, alerted States about assessing the requirement of quality seed and taking steps for its availability. It was brought to their notice that the demand for quality / certified seed is likely to be higher this year because heavy floods in eastern and north eastern parts of the country during June – August have damaged farm-saved seeds of wheat, gram, mustard and some other crops.
The Zonal Seed Review meeting was held from 8th to 14th September where States projected their requirement of quality seed and it was noted that sufficient quantity of quality / certified seed is available for all major crops.
At the National Conference for Rabi Campaign, held on 17th – 18th September, the seed situation was further discussed and States were advised to procure seed of the required varieties of by advance indent or tie-up arrangements with State Seed Corporations, the National Seed Corporation, State Farms Corporation of India, NAFED, KRIBHCO, IFFCO and private seed companies and keep seed ready for distribution especially because early sowing of Rabi crops is likely in areas where Kharif crops could not be planted because of deficient rainfall.
States have also been requested to prepare district-wise ‘seed maps’ to plan for seed production and distribution on a long-term basis. For the coming Rabi season, States have been asked to focus on seed production of crops that might be affected due to deficient or heavy rains or pests so that sufficient seed is available for the next (2005-06) season.
Crop-wise seed requirement and availability for Rabi 2004-05 are as follows:
| Crop | Rabi 2004-05 | |
| Requirement (lakh qntl) | Availability (lakh qntl) | |
| Wheat | 39.94 | 47.83 |
| Paddy | 6.82 | 9.36 |
| Maize | 0.51 | 2.96 |
| Jowar | 0.83 | 1.56 |
| Bajra | 0.07 | 0.80 |
| Ragi | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Barley | 0.60 | 0.71 |
| Cereal total | 48.78 | 63.23 |
| Gram | 3.07 | 3.27 |
| Lentil | 0.48 | 0.47 |
| Peas | 0.60 | 0.65 |
| Urd | 0.27 | 0.30 |
| Moong | 0.20 | 0.24 |
| Arhar | 0.04 | 0.04 |
| Cowpea | 0.03 | 0.03 |
| Pulses total | 4.71 | 5.01 |
| Ground-nut | 1.58 | 1.62 |
| Rapeseed/Mustard | 1.19 | 1.64 |
| Til | 0.04 | 0.05 |
| Sunflower | 0.35 | 0.59 |
| Soyabean | 0 | 0.01 |
| Linseed | 0.02 | 0.01 |
| Castor | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Safflower | 0.10 | 0.10 |
| Niger | 0.02 | 0.02 |
| Oilseed total | 3.31 | 4.05 |
| Cotton | 0.05 | 0.05 |
| Potato | 3.97 | 3.97 |
| Others | 0.03 | 0.07 |
| Grand total | 60.85 | 76.38 |