Patna, Aug 1: Bihar Agriculture Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha has directed officials to strengthen seed quality monitoring and take strict action against agencies and institutions involved in the sale of substandard seeds.During an inspection of the Seed Testing and Quality Control Laboratory in Patna, Sinha reviewed the laboratory’s functioning, available facilities, testing procedures and arrangements for examining different seed samples.
The minister said ensuring the availability of quality seeds to farmers remains a key priority of the state government. He warned that strict action would be taken against those found selling fake, poor-quality or uncertified seeds.For the Kharif season of 2026–27, the state has set a target of testing 20,000 seed samples.
Officials said that 11,236 samples have been collected and examined so far.Of these, 162 samples were found to be below the prescribed quality standards. The minister directed the concerned authorities to initiate action against the agencies responsible for the sale of such seeds.Sinha also reviewed the availability of modern equipment and advanced technology at the laboratory.
He asked officials to prepare a proposal for upgrading the facility based on its infrastructure and operational requirements.The minister further directed the preparation of a detailed proposal for setting up a Bio-Fertiliser Testing Laboratory.
The proposal will cover the required infrastructure, equipment, trained personnel and other essential resources.The move is expected to strengthen quality checks on agricultural inputs and help protect farmers from losses caused by the use of inferior seeds and other substandard products.
