• Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah chaired a review meeting regarding traditional/sweet seeds of the Bharatiya Beej Sahkari Samiti Limited (BBSSL) in New Delhi. 

• During the meeting, Shah directed to ensure organic production of some selected traditional seeds from different regions of the country and their wide availability in the market from Kharif-2025.

• Shah emphasized on preparing a comprehensive database of all traditional seeds of fruits, vegetables and food grains across the country and implementing a comprehensive action plan for their conservation and promotion.

What is BBSSL?

• The Ministry of Cooperation has set up Bhartiya Beej Sahkari Samiti Limited (BBSSL) under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act, 2002. 

• The BBSSL is promoted by IFFCO, KRIBHCO, NAFED, National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and NCDC. 

• The initial paid up capital of BBSSL is Rs 250 crore with contribution of Rs 50 crore each by the five promoters and authorised share capital is Rs 500 crore.

• The BBSSL is an umbrella organisation that undertakes production, procurement and distribution of quality seeds under a single brand through a network of cooperatives to improve crop yield and develop a system for preservation and promotion of indigenous natural seeds. 

• BBSSL helps in increasing the seed replacement rate, and varietal replacement rate by ensuring the role of farmers in production of certified seeds.

• It focuses on production, testing, certification, procurement, processing, storage, branding, labelling and packaging of all three generations of seeds — breeder, foundation and certified —  through Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS) by leveraging various schemes and policies of different ministries in a focused manner through whole-of-government approach. 

• This will also help in achieving the goal of “Sahakar-se-Samriddhi” through the inclusive growth model of cooperatives where the members would benefit both by realisation of better prices by production of quality seeds, higher production of crops by use of High Yielding Variety (HYV) seeds and also by dividend distributed out of the surplus generated by the society.

• BBSSL has planted breeder seeds of wheat, mustard, and pulses (gram, pea) on 366 hectare land during Rabi season. Similarly, during Kharif season breeder seeds of paddy, moong, soyabean, groundnut, jowar and guar have been planted on 148.26 hectare land.

• BBSSL helps in increasing the production of quality seeds in India through cooperatives thereby reducing the dependence on imported seeds, enhancing agriculture production, providing boost to the rural economy.

• Quality seeds production through BBSSL will increase the agriculture production in the country thereby leading to more employment in the agriculture and cooperative sector.

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