Seed stocks to be beefed up as part of El Nino contingency preparation

The government maintains varieties of seeds for all crops, including paddy, soybean, cotton and millets like ragi and sorghum in the kharif season.

- Puja Das

The government is increasing kharif seed reserves to 4% of total seeds in the country -- up from the usual 1% level -- as part of a contingency plan for drought-like situations amid El Nino predictions.

Each year, the government sets targets for states to keep seeds of various crops under the National Seed Reserve Scheme in the event of droughts or any other exceptional weather event. Stocks in the reserve are not distributed until 15 August.

“The sowing with normal seeds goes on till 15 August for the kharif season. Post that, if a drought-like situation arises or there is a probability of drought, the government through the National Seeds Corporation and state seed corporation distributes short-duration crop seed varieties to farmers as per their demand or the plan of the state," an agriculture ministry official said.