Rs 107 crore proposal for quality seed production

Coimbatore, Sep 8: Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) has submitted a Rs 107 crore proposal to the Centre for funding to quality seed production during the 12th five year plan, its Vice-Chancellor Dr Muruges Bhoppathi has said.

The unviersity was taking strategic efforts to produce sufficient quantity of breeder seeds of pulses and oilseeds, especially black gram, greengram, redgram, gingelly, groundnut, castor and sunflower, to cater to the seed requirements of Tamil Nadu, Bhoopathi said.

TNAU also programmed to demonstrate all frontier technologies for higher yields in oilseeds and pulses in five acres in each of its Krishi VIgyan Kendras, he said speaking at the 3-day entrepreneurial training on production and marketing of quality seeds in pulses and oilseeds, jointly organised by TNAU and Nabard, which concluded last evening.

Inadequacy in poduction levels of pulses and oilseeds of the state to meet its own requirements, necessitated the import from other states and also countries like Australia, Canada and Myanmar during last year, he said.

Moreover, lower seed replacement ratio, less than 10 per cent, of pulses and oilseeds discouraged private sector seed firms to venture into seed production of these crops, which was putting pressure on organisations like TNAU, he said.

With advanced research and development, there was adequate high yielding varieties and hybrids crops, which should be effectively exploited by farmers for higher profits, he said.

PTI