Shivraj Singh Chouhan Calls for Higher R&D Investment at Asian Seed Congress 2025

By A Staff Reporter

Mumbai, Maharashtra: Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday called for a stronger research focus in India’s agriculture sector, urging seed companies to significantly enhance their investment in research and development. He was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Asian Seed Congress 2025, where industry leaders, scientists and policymakers gathered to discuss innovation and sustainability in seed production.

Highlighting persistent productivity gaps, Chouhan noted that India’s average output in several major crops remains lower than that of many other countries. He stressed that bridging this gap will require a substantial push towards advanced plant breeding, biotechnology, and high-quality seed development.

“We must acknowledge that our average production is very low as compared to other countries in many crops,” he said. “Expenditure on R&D should be increased.”

The minister also underscored the importance of transparency and quality assurance in the seed supply chain. He announced the rollout of the SATHI (Seed Traceability, Authentication, and Holistic Inventory) portal—an integrated digital platform aimed at tracking seeds from production to distribution and curbing malpractices.

“We have created the SATHI portal for seed traceability,” Chouhan said, urging companies to ensure 100% onboarding to strengthen the credibility and accountability of the sector.