Centre flags seed deficit in Jharkhand, Nagaland this kharif season; TN left with near-zero buffer

New Delhi, Jun 22 (PTI) The Union Agriculture Ministry has flagged seed shortfalls in Jharkhand and Nagaland, and a near-zero contingency margin in Tamil Nadu, even as overall national availability of certified and quality seeds remains in surplus this kharif season. Jharkhand faces the steepest deficit – availability standing at 3,09,421 quintals against a requirement of 3,91,629 quintals, leaving a gap of 82,208 quintals across crops. The ministry, in an advisory issued to all states, has described it as "the only state with a significant deficit in all the crops." "The state's National Seed Reserve allocation of 2,860 quintals is insufficient to bridge the gap," it said. Jharkhand has been asked to immediately review crop-wise availability and initiate inter-state seed movement in consultation with the Union Agriculture Ministry, neighbouring state seed corporations, and the National Seeds Corporation (NSC). Nagaland has a more modest shortfall of 368 quintals – availability at 6,350 quintals against a requirement of 6,718 quintals – and has been directed to source the deficit from NSC, public sector undertakings, or neighbouring states. Tamil Nadu presents a different but equally pressing concern. The southern state has a seed availability of 7,22,095 quintals against a requirement of 7,20,877 quintals, reflecting a marginal surplus of just 1,217 quintals. "Tamil Nadu's near-zero buffer leaves no contingency margin – any delayed onset or crop switching will require additional procurement from national surplus states," the ministry's advisory noted. At the national level, total availability at 192.43 lakh quintals comfortably exceeds the kharif requirement of 172.98 lakh quintals. States with comfortable surpluses include Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Haryana, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Gujarat, and Bihar. Several states — Tripura (15,890 quintals), Arunachal Pradesh (21,167 quintals), Himachal Pradesh (21,150 quintals), Goa (3,840 quintals), Meghalaya (17,279 quintals), Sikkim (473.9 quintals), Kerala (21,253 quintals), and Puducherry (1,430 quintals) — have availability that just about meets requirements, leaving little room for error. The ministry has set a National Seed Reserve (NSR) target of 1,74,325 quintals for the season. NSR comprises certified and foundation seeds of short and medium duration, covering drought-tolerant and heat-tolerant varieties maintained by NSC. States have been asked to calibrate seed volumes based on district-level assessments. The Centre has also flagged the El Nino factor as a key risk for this kharif cycle and has asked states to factor it into advance planning at the block and district level. States have been asked to align with advisories from the Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA), Central Water Commission (CWC), and National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA), which are monitoring weather patterns and moisture levels through scientific methods. "The challenge is not national availability but ensuring timely physical positioning of the right variety seeds at district and block level before monsoon onset," the advisory stated. Kharif sowing begins with the onset of the southwest monsoon in June. This year, the monsoon has progressed slowly and some reports say it is around 4–5 days behind schedule, while El Nino conditions have added to concerns over rainfall and sowing progress. Kharif sowing as of June 12 stood at 84.50 lakh hectares, lagging behind the 88.04 lakh hectares covered in the same period last year, according to ministry data. PTI LUX SHM