‘TS can become a seed export hub’

April 19, 2015 12:00 am | Updated 05:44 am IST - SANGAREDDY:

The seed industry is hopeful that the State government will establish a ‘seed valley’ to meet its needs.

The global seed industry currently stands at $37 billion with conventional seed share at $19 billion and Genetically Modified (GM) seed at $18 billion.

While the domestic market of India stands at $2 billion, exports from India stand at $360 million. The seed export industry is expected to rise to $600 million in the next five years. Ram Kaundinya, Director General, Association of Biotechnology Led Enterprises (ABLE), feels that there is good opportunity in south-east Asia and African countries which are trying to enhance food production to meet the increasing demand. It was stated that there will be great demand for Genetically Modified (GM) seed that can withstand adverse weather conditions.

“Telangana can become the seed export hub of India as it has congenial weather conditions. We have to establish a seed export promotion council and a seed valley for this purpose, in addition to framing regulations that match the seed demand and regulations of various countries,” said Mr. Ram, who was recently at International Crops Research Institute for Semi Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). He says that GM seed has good potential for export.

“There is also a need to establish a seed export zone, quarantine department, cold storage facility, testing and registration, marketing support from the government, logistic support, quick clearance and follow-up mechanism,” Mr. Ram told The Hindu . He said that up-scaling the production would be easy in Telangana as temperature and humidity is seed-friendly and field seed production experience among farmers at Karimnagar, Nizamabad and Warangal is high and handy in meeting the export market.

Even Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, Minister for Agriculture, who attended the meeting, wondered why the success story of Ankapur near Armoor of Nizamabad district cannot be replicated across the Telangana in developing quality seed.

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