Seed is a basic agricultural input. Embedded in the food store tissue. Good germination capacity and seed vitality are considered quality seeds.
To produce high-purities seeds, there are several strict requirements that need to be met. These include stringent regulations regarding the cultivation environment, growing conditions, and harvesting methods.
Seed production needs better cultural practices and effective weed, disease, and pest controls. Maintaining optimal irrigation, fertilizer input, and some other specific operations are required. Generally every state Govt. has a specific body for seed certification.
To become certified, you must pass through a rigorous testing procedure during which you’ll be evaluated for several factors including soil conditions, weather, plant variety, pest control, irrigation methods, harvesting techniques, storage, and marketing.
Market Opportunity For Certified Seed Production
The increasing demand for food due to population growth and the declining availability of arable land has increased the need for crop production.
To maximize agricultural output, farmers must use high-yielding seeds. These seeds are an integral part of maximizing agricultural output.
Certified Seeds are consequently seen as those goods which can increase the return on investments and meet consumers’ demands for economical agricultural productions by increasing per unit of seeds produced and per hectare planted.
There are high prospects for this market due to its strong demand from emerging economies and untapped regions, which provide new opportunities for market participants in certified seed productions. Commercial cropping areas are expanding, which leads to increased demand for crops.
The seed industry is expected to grow at a healthy rate during the forecast period.
Certified Seed Production Business Plan
The company has long-term operational plans. You must create a financial budget based on financing availability. Agriculture, it requires large fields. Field selection is critical for high yields.
You should first look into contract farming if you don’t have enough land of your own. A bipartite agreement is an agreement between two parties.
Under this kind of contract farming arrangement, farmers grow selected crops for buyers who then sell them back to the farmer at a price set by the buyer. The main feature of this type of arrangement is that the growers grow the crops themselves and then sell them back to their own customers.
Determine which seed variety you will be growing. Based on the amount of land purchased, choose between purchasing hybrid seeds or open-pollinated varieties. Calculate your budget with the cost of seeds, fertilizer, water, and labor. Develop a financial plan with projections of return on investment (ROI).
“For Further Reading”
Guidance on Weed Issues and Assessment of Noxious Weeds in a Context of Harmonized Legislation for Production of Certified Seed
Certified Seed Production Process
A certified organic farm involves three main operations: Isolation, Cultivation, and Certification.
Isolation: Seed production fields must be carefully isolated from other plants to prevent contamination from other plant types. Isolation is essential for preventing cross-pollination between different plant types and for avoiding the possibility of cross-pollination within the same type of plant.
Cultivation: You must check your plants during the growing period. Recommended cultivation practices must be followed for producing high-quality seeds. The recommended dosage of fertilizer and irrigation must be used for high-yield seeds.
To prevent plant protection issues, proper steps must be taken. Pests and pathogens may affect the crops causing significant losses in yields and qualities. Some pathogens may result in seeds not passing inspection by the certifying agency.
Inspections: Government agencies will inspect your field after passing the inspections and meeting you. You will be issued an official crop certification.
To properly mature your crops, you need to harvest them at the right time. You want to avoid mixing your crop seed with any other seed or weeds. Threshing floors should be cleaned and preferably cemented to minimize contamination.
Testing & Grading Certification: Certified Seeding require separate storage to preserve unique Genetic Identities. The Govt. Agencies will test and verify your Seeds in an accredited Lab for Compliance with Standards for Germination and Physical Purities.
The Seeds go through intricate grading processes. The final step of certified seeding production is Bagging with Labelled by Variety of Names with an Officially Certified Seeding Tag.
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