Assam: Assembly panel reviews state seed certification agency

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: In a move to assess the functioning of the Agriculture Department and enhance organic certification standards, a six-member team from the Assam Legislative Assembly’s Development (B) Committee visited the Assam State Seed and Organic Certification Agency (ASSOCA) office in Ulubari on Monday.

The team, headed by MLA Ramendra Narayan Kalita, comprised Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia and MLAs Abdur Rashid Mandal, Durgadas Boro, Jolen Daimary, and Wazed Ali Choudhury. Earlier in the day, the team also visited the Guwahati Central Jail as part of their field inspection programme.

At the ASSOCA office, the committee inspected key sections including the Seed Germination Centre, Purity Testing Centre, and Seed Analyst Room. They closely observed the seed testing process, particularly how paddy chaffs are separated to determine seed purity.

Following the inspection, a meeting was held where Dr. Munindra Sharma, Director of ASSOCA, gave a detailed presentation on the agency’s operations and future initiatives. Chairman Kalita appreciated the agency’s work and underlined the significance of the PGS-India Organic Certification system. He urged officials to continue strengthening efforts to ensure seed quality and promote organic farming practices in Assam.

The meeting was also attended by Joint Secretary of the Agriculture Department Gunjit Kashyap and Kamrup District Agriculture Officer, along with other senior officials.

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