Despite the progress made by the service sector, India continues to depend heavily on the agricultural sector. Agriculture continues to contribute around a third of India’s gross domestic product (GDP). Availability of the right seedling material is critical for the success of the agricultural sector. The rise in agricultural production in the 70s and 80s in India is solely being attributed to the use of high yielding seeds. In India, total seed sales during FY 1999-00 was placed at $900 million, $540 million being derived by seed producers in the private sector, bulk (99%) of the sales taking place among the small and marginal farmers (farmers having 0-5 acres of land). According to the Asia & Pacific Seeds Association (APSA), demand for seeds in India has grown from 18,000 tonnes in 1950-51 to about one million tonnes in 1999-00. This is projected to rise to 1.80 million tonnes over the next two decades.
Rising population and lack of adequate arable land are two major issues being faced by the govt. of many nations. In this kind of a scenario, it was told by Bangalore based Indo-American Hybrid Seeds that, a rise in production could be made possible only by the use of hybrid seeds. It is estimated that average yields by using hybrids increase by about 20 to 25%. Speaking at inauguration of the two-day annual conference organised by APSA in Bangalore, it was told that, the per capita cultivable land availability in the country has declined during the last five decades, owing to a rise in population and this is currently placed at 0.15 hectare per person.
Considering the role that the Indian govt. had played in popularizing use of hybrid seed varieties, the area under hybrid cotton had risen from three per cent in 1950-51 to around 45% during 200-01. India had played a major role in developing hybrids for major crops including cotton and sunflower (KBSH-1). India, was the only nation other than China, which had been able to develop 14 hybrid rice varieties. The Parliament select committee had approved of the new "Plant breeders bill". The draft act, which is expected to be passed during the winter session of the Parliament, is expected to protect breeder and growers’ rights. The Indian govt. was planing to review the National Seed Policy of 1992, he added. Hybrids helped to increase yields by as much as 1.5 tonnes compared to conventional seeding materials.
A rapid rise in land under hybrid seeds (in corn, sorghum and rice) has helped to conserve around 34 million hectares. India should focus on raising the area under hybrid rice cultivation. It is estimated that currently only about 150,000 hectares of land are hybrid rice compared to 15 million hectares in China. The country should draw up an accelerated programme to increase land under hybrid rice cultivation. Incidentally, the high level committee which was set up during the conference to discuss rice hybridisation has recommended that the Indian govt. set up a technology mission on the lines of the oilseeds and pulses mission. (TMOP).
Ag.
Technologies
(Hi-Tech Agriculture)
