In the context of food and nutritional security of India, enhancing the ‘Seed Replacement Rates’ of various crops helps in achieving the food production targets of the future. But what is/are the constraint/ constraints in its wider/greater implementation?
- There is no National Seeds Policy in place.
- There is no participation of private sector seed companies in the supply of quality seeds of vegetables and planting materials of horticultural crops.
- There is a demand-supply gap regarding quality seeds in case of low value and high volume crops.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2014 Prelims]
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 3 only
(c) 2 and 3
(d) None
Answer: (b)
Explanation:
- There is a National Seed Policy 2002.
- Hence statement 1 is incorrect
- The private sector seed companies supply quality seeds of vegetables but in a small volume.
- The private sector is the majority supplier of hybrid vegetable seeds.
- Hence statement 2 is also incorrect
- There is a demand-supply gap recording quality of seeds in case of low value and high volume crops such as wheat and rice.
- Farmers prefer to use their own preserve seeds due to the high demand and supply gap. Hence statement 3 is correct.