New seed policy in TG soon

Hyderabad: The state government is set to introduce a new, farmer-friendly Seed Policy aimed at establishing 100 ‘seed hubs’ across the state in the next year. Towards this end, the government has already unveiled a roadmap to promote Telangana as the hub of seed production to meet global needs as well in the Telangana Rising 2047- Vision Document, which was unveiled at the recent Telangana Rising Global Summit. A state-of-the-art ‘Seed Research Park’ will also be set up involving 100 top seed companies in the state soon.

“The new Seed Policy would not only cater to the needs of the farmers but also curtail the growing menace of spurious seeds in the state,” officials said.

The government has drawn up plans to develop 100 integrated seed hubs, supported by cooperatives, startups, and research institutions. It is targeted to produce 15 lakh tonnes of high-quality seeds, supported by modern processing, grading, and storage systems.

“Telangana has been exporting high quality seeds to many countries. The state will triple seed exports from 7,072 tonnes to 22,500 tonnes annually through stronger certification systems, designated export zones, global trade partnerships, and mandatory digital seed traceability to enhance the quality assurance and brand credibility” the Vision Document said. The Telangana Organic Certification Authority will also scale annual certification capacity to 30- 40 lakh quintals by 2047.

Officials of the state Agriculture Department said that an inland port and a single-window clearance system would also be set up to help produce high quality seeds.

The Telangana Crop Decisions and Marketing Intelligence Cell would also be constituted as the state’s platform for global market intelligence.

The cell will also strengthen the state’s seed export competitiveness.

“All these main components will be included in the new Seed Policy”, officials said. The State Seed Council will involve stakeholders to promote good governance, strengthen international brand building, and develop the seeds hubs as a trusted partner for India and global companies.