RA 00048.pdf - OAR@ICRISAT

682
any s u c h certainty. Unless t h e r e is an assurance
of an attractive turnover, it will be difficult to
attract entrepreneurs in t h e industry. Even t h e
g o v e r n m e n t - s p o n s o r e d cooperatives or corporations
cannot survive w h e n t h e turnover is not
assured at an o p t i m u m level. If t h e f a r m e r is
t e m p t e d t o keep his o w n s e e d w h e n varieties are
released suddenly, t h e n t h e business in hybrids is
likely to s l u m p d o w n and it m a y take years to build
up t h e trade again w h e n hybrids that are b e t t e r
t h a n t h e varieties are d e v e l o p e d a n d released.
It has been s h o w n that hybrids are better t h a n
t h e varieties in m a n y respects s u c h as yield,
quality of produce, tolerance to stress conditions,
etc. Hybrids also provide increased e m p l o y m e n t
opportunities in t h e activities c o n n e c t e d w i t h
s e e d p r o d u c t i o n , p r o c e s s i n g , a n d m a r k e t i n g .
Varieties have certain advantages too. Here t h e
f a r m e r can retain his o w n s e e d . This is t h e m a i n
advantage and as a result t h e spread of a variety
can be e x p e c t e d to be m u c h faster t h a n that of a
hybrid. A n o t h e r advantage c l a i m e d is that t h e
s e e d cost is l o w as c o m p a r e d w i t h hybrids. It has
also been e x p r e s s e d that t i m e l y availability of
hybrid s e e d s cannot be e n s u r e d because of
p r o b l e m s pertaining t o t h e operation o f c o m m e r ­
cial trade channels. It has not h o w e v e r b e e n
realized that t h e cost of t h e s e e d is only a small
fraction of t h e total cost in raising t h e crop and
therefore, w h a t m a t t e r s is t h e extra yield o n e g e t s
by using hybrid s e e d s over t h e o t h e r types. It is
w r o n g to say that t h e f a r m e r s are unable to pay
for t h e s e e d . T h e f a r m e r s in India have d e m o n ­
strated that t h e y w o u l d b e prepared t o s p e n d o n
seeds if t h e y are assured of t i m e l y availability and
increased returns. O n c e t h e infrastructure is built
up, it should not be difficult to m a k e t h e s e e d
available in t h e places w h e r e t h e y are required
and at t h e right t i m e .
Taking all t h e s e factors into consideration t h e r e
is an urgent n e e d to crystallize thinking a b o u t
t h e s e issues, evolve a policy a n d i m p l e m e n t it
scrupulously s o t h a t proper incentives c o u l d b e
m a d e available for t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f s e e d
industry.
Extension Effort
As stated earlier, s e e d is an i m p o r t a n t input.
A w a r e n e s s has to be brought about in t h e m i n d s
of f a r m e r s that it pays to u s e s e e d of g o o d quality.
Extension efforts in this regard have not b e e n
sufficient. T e s t s on f a r m e r s ' fields using t h e
certified s e e d as against any other s e e d c o m m o n ­
ly available w i t h farmers, are not m a n y . Such t e s t s
w i l l also serve as d e m o n s t r a t i o n s . Sufficient data
are required to be built up, analyzed, and pres
e n t e d to t h e extension w o r k e r s by researchers,
a n d b y extension w o r k e r s t o t h e farmers. The
s e e d industry is also required to play its o w n role
in this regard. Creation of an a w a r e n e s s regarding
t h e advantage of using quality s e e d is an important
factor in building a s t r o n g s e e d business.
Areas and Seasons for
Seed Production
Seed production cannot b e e x p e c t e d t o b e very
successful in all areas and in all seasons. In
general, dry and irrigated areas and off-seasons
are preferable for various reasons. Such areas and
seasons should be m a r k e d out a n d appropriate
s e e d production technology f o r m u l a t e d and advoc
a t e d for adoption by farmers. It is only t h e n that
t h e level of productivity of t h e s e e d crop w o u l d
i m p r o v e and t h e cost o f the seed w o u l d c o m e
d o w n . The unfavorable areas w o u l d ultimately get
eliminated. Efficient s e e d producers in areas
w h i c h are m o r e favorable will remain in t h e
business.
There is increasing evidence to s h o w that t h e r e
is an urgent n e e d for carrying out research to
d e m a r c a t e areas and seasons for s e e d product
i o n . The seed agencies including f a r m e r s are
c o m i n g to their o w n conclusions by a hit and m i s s
m e t h o d at heavy cost. Such costly exercises can
be avoided if research is carried out in this regard
a n d suitable r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s m a d e for t h e u s e
of t h o s e interested and involved in t h e s e e d
business, including s e e d producers. Research
efforts in this direction are required to be s t e p p e d
u p immediately.
Problems in General
A n u m b e r of p r o b l e m s have c o m e to t h e surface
in recent years, w h i c h are required to be solved.
N e w p r o b l e m s are likely to arise in f u t u r e . T h e y
w i l l have to be identified in advance if possible,
a n d r e m e d i e s s u g g e s t e d . The p r o b l e m s relate t o
quality control, transport bottlenecks, availability
of credit, unhealthy c o m p e t i t i o n , forecasting s e e d
r e q u i r e m e n t , p r o c e s s i n g , packaging, storage,
s e e d crop insurance, etc. A n u m b e r of r e c o m m e n ­
dations a n d suggestions are available in t h e report
of t h e SRT (1968) and in t h e interim and final