The Hindu Business Line : Cotton industry facing shortage of quality seeds

According to Mr P.D. Patodia, Chairman, Standing Committee on Cotton, ICMF-CDRA, the total requirement of seeds is 4.2 lakh quintals and the availability of certified varietal seeds is 80,000-90,000 quintals. The supply meets barely 20 per cent of the demand.

The ICMF-CDRA or Indian Cotton Mills Federation-Cotton Development Research Agency has been trying to convince the Government to initiate appropriate remedial actions.

The association now proposes the following measures for speedy augmentation of supply: The Central-State farms may be directed to take up production of high quality seeds of cotton varieties; agricultural universities located in cotton growing areas may be advised to take up such production; and State seed corporations functioning in cotton-growing States be advised to produce such seeds.

Since the benefits of these measures may take a while to accrue, the association has suggested that the requisite quantum of seeds can be imported in the interim. A number of cotton growing countries are resorting to imports to tide over temporary shortages.

The ICMF-CDRA welcomed the decision of the Union Agriculture Minister, Mr Rajnath Singh, to earmark an additional outlay of Rs 250 crore for the production of high quality seeds of various agricultural crops. The association feels that the Ministry should allocate at least Rs 70-80 crore for enhanced production of certified seeds.

It said augmenting the production was urgent as the next cotton season was fast approaching and enhanced production of quality cotton would place India in a favourable position in a buoyant global textile market.