Punjab's Agriculture Sector Can't Rest on its Past Glory -Siraj Hussain

-TheWire.in

From seeds and machinery to livestock and irrigation, the state needs to change the status quo. One eye must be firmly kept on the future.

If Punjab’s agriculture sector is to succeed, it has to think beyond short-term crises such as the current pandemic-induced one.

For instance, the Expert Group headed by Montek Singh Ahluwalia has made important recommendations about seeds, agricultural research, livestock, dairy and food processing.

It has been noted that Punjab has been successful in producing large quantities of potato seeds. However, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have emerged as major producers and processors of other seeds. For production of vegetable seeds like radish, cauliflower, turnip, capsicum, brinjal etc. a temperate climate is more suitable. Therefore, the hilly states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are most appropriate for production of these seeds.

In the last two decades, the hybrid seeds market has gained ground in the country. Telangana is the largest producer of hybrid seeds, followed by Maharashtra and Karnataka. Out of the total hybrid seeds market in India, paddy has a market share of only 9%. The major part of the hybrid seeds market is Bt cotton (41%), followed by maize (15%), fruits and vegetables (13%) and paddy (9%). The hybrid seed market in the country is dominated by private companies.

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