2. Introduction to seed industry
• Diverse agro-climatic zones in India represent one of the key factors positively
influencing the market.
• The commercialization of agriculture and the active collaboration of private and
public sectors are propelling the growth of the seed industry in the country.
• Introducing advanced digital technologies to help farmers overcome the negative
impacts of pests, climate, and other environmental factors.
• The integration of data science, artificial intelligence (AI) tools, advanced
phenomics, and genomics in the agricultural sector is offering a favorable market
outlook.
• Government of India encouraged farmers and breeders are creating a positive
outlook for the market.
• Govt. launched various programs, such as Integrated Scheme for Oilseeds, Pulses,
Oil Palm, and Maize (ISOPOM), and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, which, in turn, is
providing continuous support and offering lucrative growth opportunities to
farmers and seed breeders.
• Increasing investments by research institutes in research and development (R&D)
activities to enhance crop production, supply chain management, and quality
assurance is expected to drive the seed industry in India.
3. • Seed is the basic and most critical input for sustainable agriculture.
• The response of all other inputs depends on quality of seeds to a large extent.
• It is estimated that the direct contribution of quality seed alone to the total production is about 15 –
20% depending upon the crop and it can be further raised up to 45% with efficient management of
other inputs.
• A major re-structuring of the seed industry by Government of India through the National Seed Project
Phase-I (1977-78), Phase-II (1978-79) and Phase-III (1990-1991), was carried out, which strengthened
the seed infrastructure that was most needed and relevant around those times.
• This could be termed as a first turning point in shaping of an organized seed industry. Introduction of
New Seed Development Policy (1988 – 1989) was yet another significant mile stone in the Indian Seed
Industry, which transformed the very character of the seed industry.
• The policy gave access to Indian farmers of the best of seed and planting material available anywhere on
the world.
• The policy stimulated appreciable investments by private individuals, Indian Corporate and MNCs in the
Indian seed sector with strong R&D base for product development in each of the seed companies with
more emphasis on high value hybrids of cereals and vegetables and hi-tech products such as Bt. Cotton.
• As a result, farmer has a wide product choice and seed industry today is set to work with a ‘farmer
centric’ approach and is market driven.
• However, there is an urgent need for the State Seed Corporations also to transform themselves in tune
with the industry in terms of infrastructure, technologies, approach and the management culture to be
able to survive in the competitive market and to enhance their contribution in the national endeavour of
increasing food production to attain food & nutritional security.
•
4. • Seed industry means doing business in connection
with breeding, propagation, production, processing,
assignment, leasing, export, import, or display of
the seeds;
• What is the function of seed industry?
• Indian seed industry plays a critical role in the
growth of agriculture like access to the best of seed
and planting material to Indian farmers, providing a
strong R&D base for seed development, production
of high-value hybrids of cereals and vegetables and
widening farmers' product choice.
5. • Importance of seed
• Seed is the basic and most critical input for sustainable
agriculture. Therefore our major oncern and focus is to
produce quality seed to take more and more from less
and less.
• For sustainable agriculture, a good quality seed is the
most basic and essential input. The Indian seed
industry has played a very critical role in the growth of
Indianagricultural.
• Indian seed industry is the fifth largest seed market in
the world and
• Indian seed industry is accounting for 4.4 % of global
seed market after the U.S. (27%), China (20%), France
(8%) and Brazil (6%).
6. • The “Green Revolution” ushered during the late 60s
and 70s is recognized to be a turning point in our
Indian Agriculture
• Dramatic shift from “food scarce” to “food secure”
status in the country
• Increasing population, likely to be 1.7 billion by
2050, we need to double our food production
(Paroda, 2013)
• Mission on Seed Production is urgently needed
7. • 1916 Supply of quality vegetable seeds was introduced by M/s. Sutton and
Sons at Kolkata, India
• 1925 -28The Royal Commission on Agriculture analyzed (for the first time)
Indian seed production system and its problems and encouraged supply of
quality seeds to the farmers and the private sectors.
• 1939 -1945In India ,temperate vegetable seeds were imported
• 1942Seed production of temperate vegetable varieties was started at
Quetta (Pakistan), as the seed supplies were cut-off due to World War-II.
• 1942-1943Seed production programme started at Katrain (Himachal
pradesh) and Kashmir Valley and the Vegetable seed industry made a rapid
progress.
• 1946All India Vegetable Seed Growers, Merchants and Nurserymen’s
Association was established.1947Supplies of vegetable seeds were cut off
from Quetta (Pakistan) after partition of the country.
1949Seed production programme was started at Central Vegetable
Breeding Station, Katrain, Kullu Valley by Govt. of India.
Central Potato Research Institute was established at Shimla to develop
varieties and production technology.
• In India, a systematic programme for maize research was started in 1957,
with commencement of All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on
Maize resulting four maize hybrids Deccan,Renjit, Ganga1, Ganga 101
8. • The National Seeds Corporation (NSC) were established
in 1963 undertakes production, processing and
marketing of agricultural seeds
• The Seeds Act, 1966 provides for the legislative
framework for regulation of quality control of seeds
sold in the country
• The seeds should be tagged either by compulsory
labelling or voluntary certification. Seed testing
laboratories (STLs) are now 161 (till mid of 2022) . six
Central Seed Testing Laboratories are functioning in the
Country.
• The National Seed Project (NSP) which was
implemented in three phases viz., Phase I (1977-78),
Phase II (1978-79) and Phase III (1990-91).
• Under these projects initially nine State Seed
Corporations (15 at present), State Seed Certification
Agencies (22 at present )
9. • New Seeds Policy of 1988 made a revolution in Indian
seed industry by liberalizing the seed trade and made
Indianfarmers to access best quality seed or planting
material from abroad the world.
• Seed Bank Scheme (2000) also set up seed banks in
non-traditional areas to meet the demand for seeds
• PPV & FRA (Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers
Rights Act) in 2001 provides farmers the right to save,
use exchange, share and sell farm produce of protected
variety except sale of branded seed
• The National Seeds Policy of 2002, stresses the
importance of providing farmers enough superior
quality seed on time to meet the country’s food
security needs
10. • The government has also launched a Central Sector
Scheme namely, “Development and Strengthening
of Infrastructure Facilities for Production and
Distribution of Quality Seeds” from the year 2005-
06.
• Establishment of public sector organizations, such
as the NSC, TDC, SFCI and SSCs during the Green
Revolution period.
• Release of Bt cotton in India in 2002. The rapid
expansion of Bt cotton production area
• In this case, the private sector took the lead in
accessing the technology from the MNCs. All these
factors led to higher growth of Indian seed industry
11. • it is presumed that private sector is currently spending
on R&D about 10-15% of the total turnover. The top 5
MNCs account for ~44% of the total R&D investments,
whereas the remaining 56% is contributed by nearly 30
Indian companies
• The major share of investments in agriculture by the
private sector pertains to Seed and Biotechnology
Research, which is about 33%
• The Indian seed programme largely adheres to the
limited manner.
• Seed quality is maintained through seed certification
• Need to enhance SRR around 30% in self pollinated
species, 50% in often cross pollinated speciesand 100%
in hybrids
12. • Even if the SRR is increased to 50%, thedomestic
seed market will exceed to US$ 5000 million thus
• bringing India’s position to 3rd rank
• Need to innovation-- development of superior
hybrids, transgenic and advanced seed treatments
especially in crops like rice, maize, sorghum (rabi),
pigeon pea, rapeseed mustard, castor, vegetables
etc.
• Need to develop better climate resilient hybrids as
well as varieties both by public and private sector.
13. Industry is highly vibrant and energetic and is well
• The seed business function or value chain can
be divided into value creation, value addition and
value realization
• Recognized in the international seed arena.The
seed industry in India size reached US$ 6.3 Billion
in 2022. Looking forward, IMARC Group expects
the market to reach US$ 12.7 Billion by 2028,
exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 12.43% during
2023-2028.
14. •The share of the public sector in seed production in the country reduced from
42.72 per cent in 2017-18 to 35.54 per cent in 2020-21,
• while the share of the private sector grew from 57.28 per cent to 64.46 per
cent during the same period, highlighting the rising role of private companies in
India’s seed sector.
• 540 private seed companies, including those of Indian origin and multinationals,
operate in the country. Of this, about 80 companies have their own research and
development programmes.
The NARS under the aegis of ICAR has developed more than 5,700 varieties of different
field and horticultural crops since 1969.
Currently, seed export by India is less than Rs 1,000 crore per annum and the annual
global seed trade is $14 billion (Rs 10,460 crore). Therefore, India has the potential to
capture a 10 per cent share, which is $1.4 billion or Rs 747 crore by 2028, as per the
FSII data.
