(a) the percentage of total agriculture land on which vegetables are grown in the country;
(b) the arrangement made for supply of high quality and hybrid seeds to the vegetable growing farmers;
(c) whether the Government have set-up any farms or institutes to ensure availability of high quality varieties of seeds of vegetables; and
(d) if so, the total requirement of seeds of the vegetable growing farmers and the quantity made available by these farms and institutes?
THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE (SHRI NITISH KUMAR)
(a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the Sabha.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF STARRED QUESTION NO.333 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16TH AUGUST, 2000 IN THE LOK SABHA
(a): According to the Indian Horticulture Data Base maintained by the National Horticulture Board, the total area on which vegetables were grown during the year 1998-99 was 5.86 million hectares. This works out to 4.1% of the net area sown in the country.
(b)&(c): Production and distribution of seeds including that of vegetable crops is primarily the responsibility of the respective State Governments through their own organisations like State Seed Corporations (wherever they exist), State Governments Seed Farms, Cooperative Institutions, Agro-Industries Corporations etc. Their efforts are supplemented by the national seed producing organisations, namely National Seeds Corporation (NSC) and State Farms Corporation of India (SFCI). Besides, under the centrally sponsored scheme on `Integrated Development of Vegetables including Root and Tuber Crops and Onion and Potato`, assistance is provided to ICAR Research Institutes, State Agricultural Universities and National Horticultural Research Development Foundation (NHRDF) for production of vegetable seeds.
(d): .The requirement and availability of certified/quality seed of vegetable crops was assessed by the Government of India with the State Government/concerned organisations during Kharif 2000 Zonal Seed Review Meeting held in February, 2000. The overall availability of vegetable certified/quality seed is assessed at 50311 quintals against the estimated seed requirement of 50197 quintals as reported by the States/Union Territories.