Govt eases rules for release of seed varieties

The government has eased rules regarding registration of new seeds of vegetables and other crops, barring only crops such as rice, wheat, jute and sugarcane.

From now on, firms will be able to apply for the release of seeds one year after their registration as a seed dealer or seed marketer with the agriculture ministry, according to an amendment made to Seed Rules 2020 at the end of last month.

Prior to the revision, a firm or seed seller had to wait for five years before applying to the agriculture ministry to release seeds of crops, namely vegetables and maize.

"The easing of the rule will encourage foreign companies to sign up for seed businesses, bringing new technology," said FH Ansarey, president of Agribusiness division of ACI Ltd, one of the leading business houses in Bangladesh.

The introduction of new technology will benefit the country as well as farmers, he said.

Bangladesh's public and private sector supplied nearly one-third of the required 12.5 lakh tonnes of seeds in the fiscal year (FY) 2021-22

The move comes at a time when demand for quality seeds among growers is rising due to the entry of private seed firms and greater supply.

Bangladesh's public and private sector supplied nearly one-third of the required 12.5 lakh tonnes of seeds in the fiscal year (FY) 2021-22. The ratio of the supply of seeds by the organised sector stood at 12 percent in the FY2005-06, according to the agriculture ministry.

Md Abu Zubair Hossain Bablu, director general of seed wing at the agriculture ministry, said it had eased rules following suggestions from stakeholders.

"We have done this to encourage the private sector. The rule was relaxed following detailed consultation with stakeholders," he said. "This will provide scope for farmers to get quality seeds."

In a report following the amendment to the rules, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) said the previous provision -- which required a firm to apply for the release or registration of crop varieties five years after registering as a seed dealer -- "posed a significant obstacle for US companies looking to initiate and expand their operations in Bangladesh".

The report said that it worked with the agriculture ministry to amend the seed rule in response to the request from USDA.

"The amendment now allows these companies to release and register proprietary crop varieties one year after obtaining their dealership registration," said the agency.

"This streamlined process not only accelerates the pace of entry into the Bangladeshi market but also enables these companies to bring their innovative agricultural solutions to farmers more swiftly," it added.