Punjab NEWS : In a determined effort to curb the sale and purchase of uncertified seeds in Punjab, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian has instructed the Agriculture Department to develop an online portal for tracking and tracing paddy seeds within a month.
The portal will require registered seed producers to record all transactions related to paddy seeds, including purchases, sales, and quantities, ensuring a transparent and accountable seed supply chain through digital documentation.
During a high-level meeting with sheller owners and officials from the Agriculture and Food & Civil Supplies departments on Wednesday, S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian, along with Additional Chief Secretary Agriculture Mr. Anurag Verma and VC Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) Dr. Satbir Singh Gosal, emphasized the government’s commitment to protecting farmers’ interests and maintaining the quality of Punjab’s agricultural produce.
The Agriculture Minister stressed that strict monitoring of the seed supply chain must be ensured, and only PAU-recommended quality paddy seeds should be made available to farmers. He firmly stated that no one will be allowed to exploit farmers by selling substandard and uncertified paddy seeds, which negatively impact crop yields, lead to financial losses, and affect the milling process in the sheller industry. Uncertified seeds often lack genetic vigor and disease resistance, resulting in stunted growth, lower grain production, and increased susceptibility to pests and diseases. This, in turn, reduces overall rice production and affects the market value of the state’s agricultural output.
Highlighting the benefits of the new online portal, the minister said it would ensure a more transparent and accountable seed distribution system, leading to improved crop yields, enhanced agricultural productivity, and greater consumer confidence in Punjab’s rice quality.
The meeting was also attended by Director of Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs Mr. Varinder Kumar Sharma, Special Secretary Agriculture Ms. Baldeep Kaur, Director Agriculture Jaswant Singh, and other department officials.
PAU-Recommended Paddy Seed Varieties
The Agriculture Minister urged farmers to purchase only the paddy varieties recommended by PAU, Ludhiana, and to obtain proper receipts and bills for seeds and other agricultural inputs. PAU has recommended 11 paddy seed varieties, including PR 131, PR 130, PR 129, PR 128, HKR 47, PR 127, PR 126, PR 122, PR 121, PR 114, and PR 113.