In a decisive move to put a full stop on the sale and purchase of the uncertified seeds in the state, Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian has directed the Agriculture Department to develop an online portal for tracking and tracing of paddy seeds within a month.

The portal will mandate registered seed producers to log detailed information about every transaction involving paddy seeds including seed purchases, sales, and quantities to maintain digital record, ensuring transparency and accountability within the seed supply chain.

S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian, along with Additional Chief Secretary Agriculture Mr. Anurag Verma and VC Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) Dr. Satbir Singh Gosal, held a high-level meeting with the sheller owners and officials of Agriculture and Food & Civil Supplies departments at his office here, on Wednesday.

“This initiative is a testament to our commitment to safeguarding the interests of our farmers and ensuring the quality of Punjab's agricultural produce,” said the Agriculture Minister, while directing the Agriculture department officials to ensure the availability of the PAU recommended quality paddy seeds to the farmers of the state and strict monitoring should be ensured the seed supply chain.

The Agriculture Minister categorically said that no one will be allowed to exploit our farmers by selling substandard and uncertified paddy seeds, which lead to lower crop yields and financial losses for them. These uncertified seeds often lack the genetic vigour and disease resistance of certified varieties, resulting in stunted growth, reduced grain production, and increased susceptibility to pests and diseases, besides creating a problem for the state sheller industry while milling the paddy into rice. This impacts the overall rice production and market value of the state's agricultural output.

          S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian said that the new online portal will create a more transparent and accountable seed supply chain, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable and prosperous agricultural future for Punjab. By eliminating the sale of uncertified seeds, the state aims to improve crop yields, enhance agricultural productivity, and boost consumer confidence in the quality of our rice.

          The Director Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Mr Varinder Kumar Sharma, Special Secretary Agriculture Ms. Baldeep Kaur, Director Agriculture Jaswant Singh and other officials of the department were also present in the meeting.

Box: PAU recommended paddy seed varieties

          The Agriculture Minister S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian urged the state farmers to purchase the varieties of Paddy recommended by PAU Ludhiana, while asking them to get a proper receipt and bills of the seeds and other agri inputs. He said that PAU has recommended 11 varieties of paddy include PR 131, PR 130, PR 129, PR 128, HKR 47, PR 127, PR 126, PR 122, PR 121, PR 114 and PR 113.