The Bharatiya Beej Sahakari Samiti Limited (BBSSL) has sold 6,41,627 quintals of graded and certified seeds under the ‘Bharat Beej’ brand since its establishment, Cooperation Minister Amit Shah informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
In a written reply to an unstarred question, Shah said BBSSL has developed a network of 38,665 member cooperative societies across States and Union Territories to strengthen cooperative participation in seed production, processing, storage, certification and distribution.
BBSSL has organised national-level programmes in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to promote the objectives of the National Cooperation Policy. It also conducts district-level meetings with member cooperatives for capacity building and addressing operational issues involving PACS, seed growers and FPOs.
BBSSL has signed an umbrella MoU with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to strengthen seed research, production and nationwide dissemination of high-quality, climate-resilient varieties through cooperatives. It also works with State Agricultural Universities through the SATHI portal for breeder seed procurement.
However, the government said no separate roadmap has yet been prepared for promoting quality seed exports through the cooperative sector and strengthening value chains.
