Centre to boost indigenous seed production: Pawar

The Centre would consider extending credit to farmers to purchase seeds in drought and flood affected areas and to give a major boost to seed production from among the farming class, Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said today.

Speaking to newspersons after inaugurating Semen Institute at the Central Frozen Semen Production and Training Institute at Hesaraghatta on the outskirts of the city, Mr Pawar said, this was one of the initiatives taken to achieve four per cent growth in agri output.

''Due to severe drought in the northern parts of the country, the khariff crop would not be up to the mark. But we expect a boost in the rabi crop, as things had improved and major parts had received good rains that filled reservoirs in September and October,'' he added.

The Minister said the Centre was awaiting output from the rabi crop, as it would be crucial. However, the country had enough food stocks and the production of pulses and sugar that had fallen short were being compensated with higher imports, he added.

Mr Pawar said four per cent growth in agriculture would be possible, only if the livestock and fisheries sector grew at about 6 per cent and milk production at 5 per cent.

''For this the States have to do more. The Centre is always at hand to help them, if they come up with specific programmes. The contribution of livestock to national and Agricultural Gross Domestic Product(GDP) has been improving over the years,'' he said.

The targetted growth can only be achieved with judicious public investment and creating conditions environment for more private investments, he added.

-- (UNI) -- 07MS9.xml

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