Cooperative Minister Shri Gaurishankar Bisen has directed that maximum quantity of certified seeds should be made available to farmers with a view to increasing agricultural production. Shri Bisen was addressing a meeting of Board of Directors of Madhya Pradesh Seed Federation at Mantralaya on Tuesday. Farmers’ Welfare & Agriculture Development Minister Dr. Ramkrishna Kusmaria, Agriculture Production Commissioner Shri M.M. Upadhyay, Principal Secretary Cooperatives Shri P.C. Meena and Director Agriculture Dr. D.N. Sharma were present on the occasion. The meeting decided to open 20 regional offices with a view to strengthening Seed Federation. The share capital for membership of seed cooperative societies has been reduced to Rs. 2,500 from Rs. 5,000. It has also been decided that there should be at least 50 member farmers in each primary seed producers’ cooperative societies. The Board of Directors decided to construct grading plant-cum-godowns of the Seed Federation in 20 districts. Grading plants will be built at Raisen, Vidisha, Sehore, Betul, Hoshangabad, Harda, Ujjain, Dewas, Mandsaur, Dhar, Barwani, Khargone, Khandwa, Jhabua, Balaghat, Mandla, Damoh, Tikamgarh, Sagar and Satna. The meeting was informed that the Seed Federation will get Rs. 750 crore during three years for expansion of its activities. The meeting was told that 60 percent of certified seeds in the government sector are being produced by the Seed Federation. There is a need to further strengthen the activities of the federation in view of this. At present, the number of seed cooperative societies in 593 in the state. The Seed Federation has made arrangements for production of five lakh 13 thousand quintals of certified seeds through farmers during Kharif season 2012. The meeting was also informed about payment of production subsidy to farmers.