Devolution of seed regulation to provinces rejected

LAHORE: A number of trade and business associations are against the devolution of seed regulation to provinces and are demanding the continuation of federally-administered uniform seed inspection mechanism, an official said on Tuesday.

In a letter written to Prime Minister, Mian Tariq Misbah, President, Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry staunchly opposed the move of transferring seed enforcement authority from Federal Seeds Certification and Registration Department (FSC&RD) to provincial agriculture departments.

“It is a matter of serious concern for us that seed enforcement authority is being transferred from FSC&RD to the provincial governments on the recommendation of the Ministry of National Food Security & Research (MNFS&R) and the Governor of the Punjab,” Misbah said.

“We are of the view that transferring the seed enforcement responsibilities to the provincial governments will negatively impact the agricultural growth and economic prosperity of our region.

Our member seed companies and farmers have all taken a grim view of this plan as it will multiply their problems.”

Saying they firmly believed that seed should remain a "Federal Subject", he urged the federal government to review its policy on seed regulation.

“Moreover, the Ministry should be directed to strengthen Federal Seeds Certification and Registration Department,” he said adding that the government should also pay heed to the demand of the chambers for continuing with uniform seed inspection mechanism in the country.

In another letter to Syed Fakhar Imam, Federal Minister of National Food Security & Research, Hafiz Ihtasham Javed, President Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry, expressed the industry’s disapproval to the handover of powers of the FSC&RD to provincial governments.