"In kharif 2015, approximately 137.27 lakh quintals of seed is required against which 140.69 lakh quintal seed is available. There is no shortage of seeds except soyabean seeds," the Agriculture Ministry said in a statement.

All states have been requested to take maximum benefit of central assistance under "submission on seed and planting material" and send the Annual Action Plan for the 2015-16 crop year (June-July) by mid-March positively, it said.

The Ministry reviewed the seed availability and plan of the state governments for next kharif season at the zonal level meeeting held last week, it added.

The states have been asked to give stress on quality and certified seeds to increase the productivity of agriculture in their respective areas.

Government

INDIA - India has recorded a drop in rabi sowing as on January 2, 2015 at 55.28 million hectares, as per the data released by the directorate of economics and statistics, agriculture ministry.

During the same period last year, rabi sowing was recorded at 57.96 million hectares, the report adds.

Wheat sowing area was at 29.31 million hectares, as compared to last year’s 29.43 million hectares.

The area under sowing of total coarse cereals also recorded a drop, which was at 5.11 million hectares, against the last year’s 5.61 million hectares.

Gram sowing was also down to 7.96 million hectares, as compared to the last year’s 9.50 million hectares, the data said.

Area coverage under total pulses was at 12.99 million hectares, as compared to 14.47 million hectares recorded during the same period last year.

Sowing area under total oilseeds was also in negative at 7.54 million hectares, against 8.09 million hectares sowed during the same period last year.

Agriculture Ministry of India