Officials said: due to meager production of improved seeds and poor distribution network in the country, farmers are heavily dependent on traditional ways of producing seeds.
"Farmers of hill and mountain districts are using the same breeds for decades due to non-availability of improved seeds. We have found that seeds replacement rate in those areas is as low as four percent," said Dr Hari Dahal, spokesperson of the Ministry of Co-operatives (MoAC). Agriculture scientists said the use of same breeds of seeds for a long time deteriorates the productivity of crops.
Nepal needs 185,000 tons of seeds of paddy, wheat, maize, millet and barley every year. And most of the seeds are produced by farmers themselves.
National Seeds Company -- a government-owned company -- had produced only 3,809 tons of seeds last year, which is two percent of the national requirement. Hill and mountain districts, which cover more than 50 percent of the country´s arable land, received only 13 percent of total seeds distributed by the company.
Nepal Agriculture Research Council and some private companies are producing and distributing seeds. However, there is no authentic data on the production of improved seeds across the country.
As per the production area, hill and mountain districts need 28 percent of total paddy seeds requirement of the country. However, currently, only seven percent of the country´s total paddy seeds requirement, reach those areas. Similarly, in the case of wheat and maize seeds, only seven percent of the total requirement of the country reach those areas.
"Subsidy in seeds distribution can play a catalytic role in increasing the access of farmers to improved seeds. We have to gradually increase replacement rate of seeds by at least 5 percent annually with the joint effort of the government and private sectors." Agriculture Perspective Plan (APP) has emphasized on production and distribution of quality seeds.
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