Under the new agricultural strategy special emphasis has been placed on the development and widespread adoption of high yielding varieties of seeds.
The government had been paying attention to induce qualitative improvements in seeds.
Production of improved seeds and specially high yielding variety of seeds was encouraged on the farms of the centre and the state government and by registered seed growers. Indian seed programme is concerned with increase in seeds from 25 lakh quintals in 1980- 81 to 105 lakhs quintals in 2003-04.
The National Seed Policy of 2001 provides the framework for growth of the seed sector. It seeks to provide the farmers with a wide range of superior quality seed varieties and planting materials. The government has also begun the process of drawing up a 10-year national seed plan with inputs from the states on the particulars of region wises need requirements.
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The plan also covers phasing out of outdated crop varieties and continuing their seed production. The aim is to ensure adequate availability of seeds of acceptable quality that meets the year wise requirements of the state for individual crops over a fairly long period as well as to anticipate supply shortfalls.
The policies propose several initiatives for the development of new plant varieties with improved yield characteristics, ability to withstand and biotic and abiotic stresses and locational adaptability. A national seed fund is to be established a seed map is to be drawn.
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Seed village schemes and seed banks will be launched to ensure timely availability of sufficient seed quantities, seed freedom will be eligible for crop insurance and imports of seeds and the, use of biotechnology to develop transgenic varieties will be encouraged. The policy also envisages expansion of Indian’s share of the global seed export market from less than 1 per cent now to 10 per cent by 2020.