AGRICULTURE- Seeds

                    Seeds are a critical and basic input for enhancing agricultural production and productivity in different agro – climatic regions.

·                           Indian Seeds Programme includes the participation of Central and State Government, ICAR, State Agricultural Universities system, public sector, cooperative sector and private sector institutions. Seed sector in Indi consists of two national level corporations i.e. National Seeds Corporation (NSC) and State Farms Corporation of India (SFCI), State Seed Corporations (SSCs) and Seed Companies.  

·                               National Seed Research and Training Centre (NSRTC): NSRTC, Varanasi   has been notified as a Central Seeds Testing and Referral Laboratory (CSTL), w.e.f. from April, 2007. CSTL OF NSRTC HAS BECOME A MEMBER LABORATORY OF THE International Seed Testing Association, Zurich, Switzerland w.e.f. 2007.

·                         The Seeds Act 1966 provides for the legislative framework for regulation of quality of seeds sold in the country. The Central Seed Committee (CSC) and the Central Seed Certification Board (CSCB) are apex agencies set up under the Act to advise the Government on all matters relating to administration of the Act and quality control of seeds.

           National Seed Mission

 The Department has proposed to launch National seed Mission from the year 2011-12 replacing the existing seed Infrastructure Scheme on account t of the dynamism in the seed sector and the experience gained in the implementation of the scheme.