The government has taken a move to revise the National Seed Policy 1993 and amend the existing Seed Act-1997 to make those time-befitting ones and encourage private investors as well as farmers to produce quality seeds, reports UNB.
"The present National Seed Policy was framed 22 years ago. So, it's time to revise the policy to meet the present-day requirements and produce quality seed in the country," DG of the Seed Wing of Agriculture Ministry Anwar Faruque told the news agency.
On August 25 last, the ministry held a meeting with private sector seed producers and leaders of the Bangladesh Seed Association (BSA) to review the existing Seed Policy, the Seed Ordinance, 1977 and the Seed (Amendment) Act 1997.
Faruque said the seed producers and BSA leaders were asked to submit their written proposals to the ministry whether they want any change or bring any amendment to the existing seed law and policy.
Quality seed is considered to be the basic input for boosting agricultural production and achieving self-sufficiency in food production.
The effectiveness of other inputs like fertiliser and irrigation largely depends on quality seed. But, the scope of using improved seed is still very limited, he said.
The production and distribution of quality seed are inadequate in the public sector compared to its demand and seed production in the private sector has not yet got the necessary support, official sources said.
According to Agriculture Ministry data, Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) produced 147,383 tonnes of seeds, while the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) 14,122 tonnes and private sector 40,205 tonnes out of the total of 12,53,310 tonnes of seeds in the country in fiscal 2014-15.
Despite having some problems in the seed sector, Anwar Faruque said, quality seeds have huge potential as the most of the country's farmers prefer the use quality seeds produced by public and private sector for better production.
"Traditionally, farmers produce seeds and sow in their field...but they cannot produce quality seed. So, they prefer to buy quality seeds to grow more crops," he added.
The Seed Wing DG said now farmers buy 90 per cent of seeds they require as they get good harvest using quality seeds.
Anwar Faruque said the country's agriculture has seen a marked progress in recent years where many new technologies and innovations were introduced.
"So, we'll include the new innovations and technologies like high-yielding crops, GM crops and biotechnology in the National Seed Policy and the Seed Law," he added.
Famers currently produce about 54 per cent of paddy seeds in the country while about 35 per cent of wheat seeds, six per cent of maize seeds, about 29 per cent of potato seeds, five per cent of jute seeds and about 36 per cent of vegetable seeds, according to official sources. They collect the remaining seeds from markets.
