CG distributes more than 4 lakh quintals of seeds

Raipur: The Chhattisgarh State Seed and Agriculture Development Corporation Limited expanded its seed production programme to 21,478 hectares for Kharif 2025. This marked a significant 85% increase compared to Kharif 2023 and a 26% rise over the previous year.Chhattisgarh agriculture minister Ramvichar Netam, in a press conference on Saturday, stated that the state govt prioritised the availability of certified seeds based on farmer demand. Under the Kharif 2024 production programme, the corporation procured 5.75 lakh quintals of raw seeds from registered farmers. Payments worth Rs 126 crore were released to these farmers, which was Rs 37.28 crore higher than the preceding year.To speed up the payout process, the corporation introduced a new system. Payments are now processed upon the approval of passed seeds rather than waiting for the final packaging stage. This change ensures that seed-producing farmers receive their final payments approximately 30 days earlier than before, he said.For the Kharif 2025 season, the state recorded a demand for 4,95,057 quintals of certified seeds. In response, 4,87,004 quintals were stored, and 4,73,485 quintals were already distributed. This distribution exceeded the Kharif 2024 figures by 5,074 quintals.Against a projected production of 7.50 lakh quintals for Kharif 2025, the corporation already procured 3.30 lakh quintals from registered farmers. An advance payment of Rs 36.82 crore was issued, and procurement remains ongoing.