Tripura Takes Charge of Seed Certification for Mizoram and Manipur

AGARTALA: The Central Government has assigned Tripura the seed certification responsibility for the neighboring states of Mizoram and Manipur.

The officials from the Tripura Agriculture Department underscored the importance of changing seeds to achieve self-sufficiency in food grain production in the state while quoting Agriculture Minister Ratan Lal Nath.

The official explained, "It is essential to adopt better-quality seeds to make Tripura self-sufficient in food grains. The government, therefore, distributes high-yielding rice, pulses, and oilseeds to farmers annually on a subsidized basis. This initiative aims to increase crop yield and enhance farmers’ incomes. High-yielding varieties typically require seed replacement every three years, while hybrid seeds require replacement every year."

Highlighting the state's progress in seed production, he said that rice seed production began in Tripura in 2002 through registered seed producers. Institutions like the State Agricultural Research Institute at Arundhati Nagar in Agartala, the Tripura State Seed Certification Agency, and the State Seed Testing Laboratory were subsequently established to support seed certification processes.

The official further added by saying, "Apart from Assam, Tripura is the only state in the Northeastern region with an operational seed certification system. Our state is self-sufficient in the production of high-yielding varieties of paddy seeds."

The Central Government on October 22, 2024, assigned Tripura the responsibility of overseeing the seed certification for Mizoram and Manipur, further underlining the state's growing prominence in agricultural development in the region.

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