(a) whether the Government has any scheme to provide certified and quality seeds to the farmers during the year 2021-2022;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Ministry of Textiles has prepared any draft to address packaging problems of food grains due to closure of jute mills during lockdown; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF TEXTILES
(SMT. DARSHANA JARDOSH)
(a) & (b): Yes Sir, All India Coordinated Research Project – National Seeds Project (AICRP-NSP) under ICAR produce breeder seed for cotton. During the year 2020-21, 22.8 quintals of breeder seed was produced and supplied to the indenting agencies for production of foundation seed. Similarly, ICAR Seed Project augments the quality seed production in the country. During the year 2020-21, 2.4 quintals of foundation seed, 9.2 quintals of certified and 295.4 quintals of truthfully labelled seed was produced under this project. The quality seed of cotton produced during the year 2020-21 were made available to farmers for Kharif 2021 sowing.
The Government has also been distributing certified and good quality jute seeds to farmers. In FY 2021-22, Jute Corporation of India has distributed 731 MT certified jute seeds among farmers. Since 2015-16 to 2020-21, the National Jute Board under I-CARE scheme has distributed 3459 MT certified jute seeds on subsidized rate.
(c) & (d): The Government of India has issued orders that 100% food grains and 20% sugar is required to be packed compulsorily in jute bags. The order further stipulates that in case of any shortage or disruption in supply of jute packaging material or in case of any other contingency or exigency, the Ministry of Textiles may, in consultation with the user Ministries concerned, allow further dilution of packaging material up to a maximum of thirty per cent. The requirement of jute bags, actual supply by jute mills and granting relaxation for use of HDPE/PP bags in the last Rabi: 2020-21, Kharif: 2020-21 & Rabi: 2021-22 seasons are furnished below:-
In: ‘000’ bales
Rabi:20-21 Kharif:20-21 Rabi:21-22
Requirement of Jute bags 2336 2387 2534
Actual supply by Jute mills 1310 1444 1086
Relaxation for HDPE/PP bags 701 364 770
In addition to above and in order to overcome the crisis situation in arranging packaging material for packing food grains, the indenting agencies have been allowed to use once used jute bags manufactured in India.
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