PJTAU set to launch ‘Seed Week’ to boost quality seed supply

Professor Jayashankar Telangana Agricultural University will hold 'Seed Week' from May 23 to 30 as part of the State’s 99 Days programme. The initiative will benefit 1.5 lakh farmers with quality foundation seed that can be reused for three years.

Hyderabad: Professor Jayashankar Telangana Agricultural University (PJTAU) is set to organise ‘Seed Week’ from May 23 to 30 as part of the State government’s 99 Days ‘Praja Palana – Pragati Pranalika’ programme.

In a statement, PJTAU Vice Chancellor Prof. Aldas Janaiah said around 1,231 tonnes of seeds of all crops have been kept ready for sale through 27 university sales centres across the State, benefiting nearly 1.50 lakh farmers.

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Although this constitutes only about one percent of the total seed requirement of the State, the foundation seed supplied by the university can be reused by farmers for the next three years for seed purposes due to its high productivity potential, he said.

In the backdrop of repeated cheating of farmers by some fake seed companies in the market, the university is giving priority to quality seed production and is taking steps towards making every village self-sufficient in seed availability, he explained.

Further, he said each farmer will be allowed to purchase only two foundation seed kits for each crop, sufficient for cultivation of two acres.

Since the availability of foundation seed at the university is limited, arrangements have been made for farmers of respective districts to make advance bookings from May 18 to 22 at the concerned university sales centres, he said.

The PJTAU VC appealed to farmers to make good use of the opportunity.