The Performance of Pakistan Seed Sector

In 1994, the seed business was declared as a 'seed industry' in Pakistan providing concessions given to other sectors. The policy has encouraged the development of the vibrant private sector and several companies have been established to produce and market seed in the country. As a result the role of the private sector is increasing progressively over the years. According to 'The Seed News', the quantity of seed distributed by the public and private sectors is shown in Table 1.
Table 1. Seed distribution of major crops in Pakistan (tonnes)
 

Year

Sector

Wheat

Rice

Maize

Cotton
  1997/98 Public   65758 1414  282  5350
  Private   12786 1392  320 17778
  Total   78544 2806  602 23128
  Private %        16    50   53      77
  1998/99 Public   76338 1496   491  4870
  Private   28055   793 2537 22152
  Total 104393 2289 3028 27022
  Private %         27    35    84      82
  1999/00 Public   66350 1573   482   4436
  Private   39129 2830 3251 29684
  Total 105479 4403 3733 34120
  Private %        37    64    87      87
  2000/01 Public   66755   914  676  6472
  Private   80346 1331 1725 25484
  Total 147101 2245 2401 31956
  Private %        55    59    72      80
  Average Public   68800 1349   483   5282
  Private   40079 1587 1958 23775
  Total 108879 2936 2441 29057
  Private %      36.8 54.0 80.2  81.8
The average certified seed distribution, from 1997/98 to 2000/01, by the public and private sector is 108,879, 2936, 2441 and 29,057 tonnes, respectively for wheat, rice, maize and cotton. The public sector provides the largest bulk of self-pollinated crops such as wheat and rice. The private sector provides nearly 80% of the commercial crops such as cotton and maize, where seed demand is more predictable because of hybrid seed.

In 2001 an estimated 209,026 tonnes of various crop seed was distributed covering 16.2% of the estimated national seed requirement. However, certified seed availability varies among crops with
1.03 for potato seed to 75.7% for fodder and forage seed. The availability for legumes and oil crops is less than the desired level (Table 2).
Table 2. Quantity of seed distributed in 2001 and percent coverage of certified seed in Pakistan
 
Crop
Estimated requirement
Quantity distributed
%
  Wheat 846,.200 156,706 18.5
  Rice    50,300      2269   4.5
  Maize   26,.820       2401   8.9
  Chickpea    38,872        245 0.63
  Mung Bean    4,.005        520 14.6
  Canola       700         62   8.9
  Soybean       805         71 10.1
  Sunflower     1250         70   5.6
  Vegetables    5.085      3702 72.8
  Potato 221,000      2294 1.03
  Fodder&Forages   14,500    10,980 75.7
  Cotton    59260    29,706 50.1
  Total  286797 209,026 16.2
Note: The information is extracted from The Seed News, July-December 2001
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