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UPSC Prelims 2014 · Agriculture · Farm Money
In the context of food and nutritional security of India, enhancing the ‘Seed Replacement Rates’ of various crops helps in achieving the food production targets of the future. But what is/are the constraint/constraints in its wider/greater implementation? Select the correct answer using the code given below.
- There is no National Seeds Policy in place.
- There is no participation of private sector seed companies in the supply of quality seeds of vegetables and planting materials of horticultural crops.
- There is a demand-supply gap regarding quality seeds in case of low value and high-volume crops.
- (a) 1 and 2
- (b) 3 only
- (c) 2 and 3
- (d) None
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: (b) 3 only
Only the demand–supply gap in low-value crops is a real constraint.
Statement by statement
1. ✗ WRONG India has a National Seeds Policy (2002).
2. ✗ WRONG Private companies supply much of the vegetable and horticulture seed.
3. ✓ CORRECT For low-value, high-volume crops (cereals, pulses), quality seed supply falls short of demand.
Why the others are wrong
(a) Accepts both wrong claims.
(c) Accepts that private firms don’t supply vegetable seeds.
(d) Misses the real seed gap.
The trap
Statement 2 is the reverse of reality — private firms dominate vegetable seeds.
🔒 National Seeds Policy 2002; SRR = % of area sown with fresh certified seed.