Importance of multi-State Cooperative Seed Society

Seiminthang Khongsai *

Agriculture plays a vital role in India's economy. 54.6% of the total workforce is engaged in agricultural and allied sector activities. The total geographical area of the country is 3287 lakh hectares, of which 1394 lakh hectares is the net sown area and 2002 lakh hectares is the gross cropped area.

India with only 2.3% share of the world's total land area has to ensure food security of its vast population, which is 17.7% of world population. In view of this, the area under cultivation is unlikely to increase. Therefore, substantial increase in yield and quality of crops depends upon quality of seeds to the large extent.

It is, therefore, the Union Cabinet, has approved a historic decision to set up and promote a national level multi-state seed cooperative society under Multi State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act, 2002 which will act as an apex organization for
production,
procurement,
processing,
branding,
labelling,
packaging,
storage,
marketing and
distribution of quality seeds;
strategic research & development;
and to develop a system for preservation and promotion of indigenous natural seeds;
through various cooperative societies across the country with support from
relevant ministries especially Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare,
Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) and
National Seed Corporation (NSC)
through their schemes and agencies following the 'Whole of the Government Approach'.

PACS to APEX: Primary to National Level Cooperatives Societies including primary societies, district, State and National level federations and multi State cooperative societies can become its member. All these cooperatives will have their elected representatives in the Board of the society as per its byelaws.

The national level multi state seed cooperative society would act as an apex organization for production, procurement, processing, branding, labeling, packaging, storage, marketing and distribution of quality seeds; strategic research & development; and to develop a system for preservation and promotion of indigenous natural seeds; through various cooperative societies across the country with support from relevant ministries especially Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) and National Seed Corporation (NSC) through their schemes and agencies.

The society will have an authorized share capital of Rs 500 crore and will be established with initial paid up- share capital of Rs. 250 Crore. It will raise funds through share capital, admission and other fee, loans cash credit commercial papers, overdraft of Banks/FIs, grant-in -aid and subsidies from central and State Governments, donations/ contributions from members and other organizations with in India and abroad.

The proposed society will help to increase the seed replacement rate, varietal replacement rate, ensuring the role of farmers in quality seed cultivation and seed variety trials, production and distribution of certified seeds with a single brand name, by utilizing the network of all levels of co-operatives.

The availability of quality seeds will help in increasing agricultural productivity in strengthening food security and also increasing the income of the farmers. The members will benefit both by realization of better prices by production of quality seeds, higher production of crops by use of High Yielding Variety (HYV) seeds and also by dividend distributed out of the surplus generated by the society.

The seed cooperative society will involve all forms of cooperative structures and all other means to increase the SRR, VRR by ensuring the role of farmers in quality seed cultivation and seed variety trials, production and distribution of certified seeds with a single brand name.

Quality seeds production through this national level seed cooperative society will increase the agriculture production in the country thereby leading to more employment in the agriculture and cooperative sector; reducing the dependence on imported seeds and provide boost to rural economy, promoting "Make in India" and leading to Atmanirbhar Bharat.